850 Surgical Versus Non-Surgical Treatment of Unstable Lateral Compression Injuries of the Pelvis with Complete Sacral Fractures (LC1) in Non-Fragility Fracture Patients: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Abstract Background Lateral compression type 1 (LC1) injuries comprise two-thirds of pelvic fractures. Approximately one third of LC1 fractures are unstable and may benefit from surgical fixation to improve stability but it is not clear if this leads to better clinical or cost-effectiveness outcomes. Method We performed a systematic review to determine whether surgical or non-surgical treatment yielded better clinical and cost-effectiveness for the treatment of unstable LC1 pelvic injuries with complete sacral fracture, excluding fragility fractures. We searched Medline, Embase and Cochrane databases from inception to June 2021, as well as clinical trials registries. Results Five observational studies met the inclusion criteria. 183 patients were treated surgically, and 314 patients treated non-surgically. Patients treated surgically had lower pain levels (Visual Analogue Scale) and fewer days to mobilisation. Quality of life (EQ-5D and SF-36 questionnaires) was better in the surgical group, but not statistically significant. No statistical differences in length of hospital stay or complication rates were found. Formal meta-analysis was not possible due to available study designs and heterogeneity. Conclusions This review highlights the low quantity and quality of existing data on patients with unstable LC1 pelvic fractures and the need for a definitive randomised controlled trial to determine whether surgical or non-surgical care should be the preferred treatment in terms of clinical and cost-effective care.