BACKGROUND: To analyze possible abdominal injuries and their impact on the prognosis of patients sustaining pelvic fractures. METHOD: Retrospective chart review including all victims of pelvic fractures due to blunt trauma from 1996 until 2000. Sample was constituted of 224 patients, mean age 34 + 16 years, 137 (61,1%) male. Demographic data, trauma indices, organs injured, treatment and evolution were assessed. Abdominal injuries were graded using Organ Injury Scale (OIS), Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) and Abdominal Trauma Index (ATI). Statistical analysis was carried out with student's t and chi square tests. RESULTS: Pedestrian struck was the most common mechanism of injury (53%). Mean Revised Trauma Score (RTS) and Injury Severity Score (ISS) were 7.0341 ± 1.864 and 20.2 ± 12.8 respectively. Injuries in abdominal organs were found in 95 patients (42,4%), being the bladder the most frequently injured (11%). Sixty three (28,1%) patients had their abdominal injuries graded as AIS > 3, and 54 (24,1%), as OIS > 3. Mean ATI for those sustaining abdominal lesions was 9 ± 8. Fifty five laparotomies were performed, nine of them being non therapeutic. Fifty one patients died (22%), mainly due to hemorrhagic shock. The presence of injuries to abdominal organs were significantly associated with shock upon admission, complex pelvic fractures, external fixation of the pelvic fracture, increased number of complications and higher mortality (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Abdominal organs are frequently injured in patients sustaining pelvic fractures and, when present, determine worse prognosis.
Abdominal injuries; Abdominal injuries; Fractures
