OBJECTIVES: To present the outcome of the definitive surgical treatment of unstable fracture of the pelvic ring in children submitted to surgical reduction and stabilization. METHODS: We studied 10 patients with immature skeletons that suffered unstable fractures of the pelvic ring treated during the period between March 2004 and January 2008. The study was retrospective, based on clinical and radiographic evaluations. RESULTS: The mean age at the time of trauma was 8.8 years (2 to 13 years). Seven patients were female and three male. The cause of the trauma was being run over in eight cases, and one case each of a motorcycle accident and falling from a height. Five patients had other associated injuries such as fractures of the clavicle, femur diaphysis, proximal humerus, fibula, olecranon, and bladder injury. All patients showed an excellent clinical outcome. The pelvic asymmetry before surgery ranged from 0.7 to 2.9 cm (mean 1.45 cm), and dropped to values between 0.2 and 0.9 cm (mean 0.39 cm) after reduction. In no cases was a change observed in pelvic asymmetry measured in the immediate postoperative period and at the end of follow-up. CONCLUSION: Pelvic ring fractures in skeletally immature patients is rare and surgical treatment is not usual. Several authors have questioned conservative treatment due to the complications encountered. Bone remodeling is not enough to improve pelvic asymmetry, a factor that justifies the choice of surgical treatment for the reduction and correction of pelvic ring deformities.
Fracture Fixation; Child; Pelvis
