Percutaneous pelvic ring fracture reduction using an external fixator: a technical trick and case series

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Trauma Surgery
• Skeletal Reconstruction

Background:

• Pelvic ring and acetabular fractures carry high risks of morbidity and mortality.
• Conventional percutaneous reduction techniques often necessitate specialized or expensive equipment.
• Existing methods may require manipulation of the injured side while stabilizing the contralateral side.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present an innovative technique for creating a pelvic reduction frame.
• To utilize a standard external fixator for pelvic fracture reduction.
• To offer a cost-effective alternative for percutaneous pelvic fracture management.

Main Methods:

• Surgical pelvic ring fractures from 2018-2022 were analyzed.
• Pelvic reduction was performed using a standard external fixator (Hoffmann III).
• Reduction quality was evaluated using established criteria: asymmetry, deformity index, and displacement.

Main Results:

• Fifteen patients (mean age 35) underwent the procedure.
• Mean operative time was 130 minutes.
• Postoperative imaging demonstrated mean maximum displacement of 5.4 mm and mean asymmetry of 3.7 mm, with 11 excellent/good reductions.

Conclusions:

• The presented system effectively utilizes widely available equipment for percutaneous pelvic fracture reduction.
• This technique provides the benefits of percutaneous methods with standard hardware.
• Successful outcomes remain contingent upon the surgeon's expertise.