Epidemiology of surgically treated pelvis and acetabulum fractures in a Level-1 trauma centre in Oman

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study is to analyze the epidemiological characteristics of operated pelvic and acetabular fractures at our institution and to compare them with epidemiological data from different parts of the world. Methods: This is a retrospective study of trauma data at Khoula Hospital from January 2010 to December 2016. Epidemiological data including age, gender, mode of trauma, presence of injuries, fracture classification, surgical approach, and associated complications were analyzed. Results: A total of 209 patients with a diagnosis of pelvis and acetabular fracture were included in this study. Young age group (mean: 35) and male gender (68%) were predominately affected. The main leading cause of the injury was road traffic accidents (96%). There were a total of 179 (86%) acetabular fractures and 30 (14%) pelvic fractures. Fracture of the posterior wall of the acetabulum was the most common pattern (39%), followed by transverse fracture (27%). Anterior–posterior compression type was clearly the most common type of pelvis fracture (40%). Six patients had postoperative sciatic nerve palsy, five patients had venous thromboembolism, and nine patients had wound infection. Conclusion: The great majority of the patients were victims of road traffic accidents, male, and young adults. The posterior wall fracture was the most common pattern, as shown in other studies as well. However, we identified some epidemiological differences in comparison with some studies from some other parts of the world. These include a higher contribution of road traffic accidents as a mode of injury and a high female-to-male ratio.