Quality of Life and Functional Outcomes in Young Women After Pelvic Fracture Fixation: A Clinical Study and...

Background: Pelvic fractures in young patients are typically associated with high-energy trauma and long-term functional impairment. Young women may experience additional gender-specific sequelae following surgical treatment. This study aimed to evaluate functional outcomes and quality of life in young women following pelvic ring injuries. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted including female patients of childbearing age (16-45 years) who sustained pelvic ring injuries and underwent surgical treatment at a single Level 1 trauma centre between 2009 and 2019. Validated PROMs were used to assess quality of life (EQ-5D, EQ-5D-VAS), and functional outcomes (Majeed Pelvic Score), along with a self-designed questionnaire to collect obstetric-related data. Radiographic measurements were performed to assess fracture reduction. PROM results were analysed descriptively and correlations between outcome scores were assessed using Pearson correlation. Results: A total of 32 patients completed all questionnaires and were included in the analysis. The mean EQ-5D index score was 0.61 (SD 0.31), the mean EQ-5D-VAS score was 68 (SD 24), and the mean Majeed Pelvic Score was 77 (SD 21). Most patients achieved good or excellent functional outcomes according to the Majeed score. Strong correlations were observed between PROM scores. Obstetric follow-up data were available for 21 patients; among these patients, 53% reported fear of pregnancy following the injury. Conclusions: Young women treated surgically for pelvic ring injuries demonstrated generally good pelvic-specific functional outcomes but lower quality-of-life scores compared with population norms. Obstetric concerns were commonly reported. Larger prospective studies are required to better understand long-term outcomes in this patient population.