Treatment of Tile type C pelvic fracture with legacy pedicle screw system plus minimally invasive technique

Abstract

Objective To investigate the feasibility of Legacy pedicle screw system plus minimally invasive technique in treatment of Tile type C pelvic fracture and evaluate its therapeutic effects.Methods From January 2008 to March 2010, 12 patients with closed Tile type C pelvic fractures were treated with Legacy pedicle screw system plus minimally invasive technique.There were seven males and five females, at age range of 21-60 years (average 39.6 years).All patients had sacrum fractures of the posterior pelvic rings.The anterior pelvic ring fractures included unilateral ischiadic ramus fractures in four patients and bilateral ischiadic ramus fractures in eight.Three patients were combined with shock.The anterior pelvic rings were fixed with minimally invasive reconstruction plates and the posterior pelvic rings fixed with minimally invasive technique plus Legacy pedicle screw system. Results The operation lasted for average 90 minutes (range, 80-110 minutes) , with average intraoperative blood loss of 105 ml (range, 80-150 ml).All patients were followed up for average 18 months (range, 6-32 months), which showed that all patients got satisfactory reductions and that the fractures were healed at one stage, with average period of 11.5 weeks (range, 9-13 weeks).There occurred no infections, failures of internal fixations or nerve injuries.According to improved Lindahl standard of pelvic injury function assessment, the result was excellent in 10 patients and good in two, with average score of 78.6 points. Conclusions Under master of the surgical indications, Legacy pedicle screw system plus minimally invasive technique takes advantages of minor trauma, less intraoperative fluoroscopy, short operation time, good curative resuhs and few complications in treatment of Tile type C pelvic fractures by fixation of the posterior pelvic rings and reconstruction of the anterior pelvic rings. Key words: Pelvis; Surgical procedures, minimally invasive; Fracture fixation