Purpose
In the Republic of Korea, the use of trauma centers was recently adopted and is expected to have better outcome for severely injured patients. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes and treatment methods for unstable pelvic bone fractures in trauma centers.
Methods
The annual number of patients, clinical outcomes, and treatment methods of unstable pelvic bone fractures in three trauma centers from 2016 to 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were dichotomized into survivors and deceased, and demographic data, treatment, and clinical outcomes were compared. Multivariable analysis was performed to identify the factors associated with survival.
Results
Among 237 patients, 101 (42.6%) were deceased. Mortality was lower in the later period (2019- 2020) compared with the early period (2016-2018; 33.6% vs. 50.0%, p = 0.011). Direct admission of an increasing number of patients to trauma centers reduced prehospital time. Although the use of angioembolization in treating pelvic bone fracture (p < 0.001), and the use of other treatment methods did not change significantly (2016-2020). Lower age, lowest systolic blood pressure in the trauma bay, and higher lactate level, international normalized ratio, the amount of packed red blood cell transfusion at 24 hours were positively associated with mortality in the multivariate analysis.
Conclusion
Increasingly more patients with unstable pelvic bone fracture were admitted to trauma centers; mortality improved. Angioembolization increased significantly and multi-disciplinary modality for early bleeding control was still essential.

Citations

• Young–Burgess Classification of Pelvic Ring Fractures as a Diagnostic Tool to Predict Vascular Injury Patterns and Targeted Embolization: A 10-Year Retrospective Study of Patients at a Single Regional Trauma Center in South Korea
  Dae Hee Lee, Seong Wook Kim, Ki-Choul Kim
  Hip & Pelvis.2025; 37(4): 321.     CrossRef
• Early experience with resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta for unstable pelvic fractures in the Republic of Korea: a multi-institutional study
  Dong Hun Kim, Jonghwan Moon, Sung Wook Chang, Byung Hee Kang
  European Journal of Trauma and Emergency Surgery.2023; 49(6): 2495.     CrossRef

Purpose
Pelvis fractures are associated with bladder and urethral injury (BUI). The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors associated with BUI in patients with pelvic fracture.
Methods
Patients (> 18 years) with pelvic injury (N = 314) at our hospital between January 2015 and June 2020 were retrospectively analyzed for age, sex, cause of injury, initial vital signs, urine red blood cell (RBC) count, Glasgow Coma Scale and Abbreviated Injury Scale score, Injury Severity Score, preperitoneal pelvic packing, and femur, lumbar spine, and pelvic fractures.
Results
Compared with the BUI-absent group, the BUI-present group had a greater percentage of patients who were male (79.2% vs. 55.9%; p = 0.026), had a urine RBC count/high power field (HPF) ≥ 30 (94.4% vs. 38.8%; p < 0.001), underwent preperitoneal pelvic packing (37.5% vs. 18.6%; p = 0.035), had symphysis pubis diastasis (33.3% vs. 11.7%; p = 0.008), and had sacroiliac joint dislocation (54.2% vs. 23.4%; p = 0.001). Independent risk factors associated with BUI were symphysis pubis diastasis [odds ratio (OR) was 3.958 (95% confidence interval: 1.191–13.154); p = 0.025] and a urine RBC count/HPF ≥ 30 [OR = 25.415 (95% confidence interval: 3.252–198.637); p = 0.006]. Of those with BUI, 15 patients were diagnosed at the trauma bay, and 9 had a delayed diagnosis.
Conclusion
Patients with pelvic injury who display symphysis pubis diastasis or have a urine RBC count/ HPF ≥ 30 are at higher risk of BUI, therefore, further BUI investigations should be considered.

Citations

• Hematuria as a Screening Tool for Bladder and Urethral Injuries in Pelvic Trauma: A Sensitivity and Specificity Analysis
  Md Habibur Rahman, Muktadir Tamim, Goutom Mukharzi
  TAJ: Journal of Teachers Association.2024; 37(2): 802.     CrossRef

Purpose
Management options for extraperitoneal bladder injury (EBI) associated with pelvic fracture are variable. Predictive factors of operative management (OM) in patients with EBI associated pelvic fracture have not been previously addressed. This study assessed the current epidemiology of blunt traumatic urinary bladder injury and evaluated relevant clinical findings of patients with EBI associated with pelvic fracture who received OM.

Methods
Patients with urinary bladder injury with or without pelvic fracture from blunt trauma from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2019 were identified from the institute trauma registry (n = 12,891). Demographics, mechanism of injury, type of urinary bladder injury, pelvic fracture configuration, and management options were analysed in the study population (n = 9,894).

Results
Of the 1,400 patients who had pelvic and/or acetabular fracture, 32 (2.3%) had urinary bladder injury. Of the 8,494 patients without pelvic and/or acetabular fracture, 12 (0.1%) had nonpelvic fracture urinary bladder injury. The total incidence of urinary bladder injuries in the study population was 0.4% (44/9,894). Patients with EBI associated with pelvic fracture who underwent OM, had a higher frequency of high-grade pelvic injury (100% vs 0%, p = 0.015), concomitant pelvic surgery (75.0% vs 0%, p = 0.001), and non-lateral compression type pelvic fracture (62.5% vs 10.0%, p = 0.043) compared with patients who underwent non-operative management of EBI.

Conclusions
These data suggest that OM may be considered especially in patients with EBI associated with pelvic fracture with high grade pelvic injury, concomitant pelvic surgery, and nonlateral compression type pelvic fracture.

Citations

• Delayed healing of extraperitoneal bladder rupture after open reduction for pelvic fracture: A case report
  Yu-Cheng Pei, Yeong-Chin Jou
  Tungs' Medical Journal.2025; 19(2): 131.     CrossRef