The pelvic fracture in childhood: a report supporting nonoperative management

A 12 year retrospective review provides a group of 68 children with pelvic fractures. The distribution and type of fractures are similar to those of adults. The most common aetiology is an automobile-pedestrian accident. The average age is 8 years; male patients are nearly twice as common. Over 73 per cent are stable injuries. The fractures rarely occurred as isolated injuries. Morbidity is related to associated injury, both orthopaedic and non-orthopaedic. One-third of patients had an associated head injury. Over 10 per cent of patients had a urethral injury, an incidence higher than in published series. This review, coupled with a literature review, supports a nonoperative approach in orthopaedic management of the child.