Identification of risk factors for neurological deficits in patients with pelvic fractures

This multicenter register study was performed to define injury and fracture constellations that are at risk to develop pelvic associated neural lesions. Data of 3607 patients treated from 2004 to 2009 for pelvic fractures were evaluated for neurological deficits depending on Tile classification, pelvic injury configuration, and treatment.In 223 patients (6.5%), neurological lesions were diagnosed on the day of discharge from the hospital. The degree of instability of the pelvic fracture correlated with occurrence of nerve lesions. Rate of neurological dysfunction increased from 1.5% in type A fractures to 14.4% in type C fractures (P<.001). As the most endangered anatomical regions in pelvic fractures, the roots L5 (18.3%) and S1 (15.6%) and isolated peripheral nerves (19.2%) were identified. Patients sustaining complex pelvic trauma (7.85%) suffered from significantly more neurological dysfunctions (33.5%) compared to patients without peripelvic organ or soft tissue injuries (P<.001). Whereas stable type A3 sacral fractures were not associated with a different risk to develop neurological deficits (3.8%), unstable sacral fractures with the need for operative fixation showed an increased rate of accompanying nerve lesions (15.4%; P<.001). Twenty-one (11.5%) operative sacral stabilizations were supplemented with nerve root decompression (mainly S1). Neurological complications in the course of treatment were seen in 69 cases (1.9%).A high degree of instability, complex pelvic trauma, and unstable sacral fractures predispose for additional neurological deficits in patients with pelvic fractures.