Mortality rate of pelvic fracture patients

The records of 77 consecutive patients admitted to Theda Clark Regional Medical Center in Neenah, Wisconsin with a diagnosis of pelvis fracture over a three year period were reviewed. Data was gathered to determine factors associated with survival to hospital discharge. The series included 41 patients injured in a motor vehicle accident and 34 patients injured in falls. The mortality rate was 9.1% (7/77). Factors found significantly associated with increased mortality included coagulopathy and head injury. The diagnosis of pelvic fracture has a relatively high associated mortality rate (6.4%-30%). The deaths among these patients are not usually a direct result of the fractures themselves but are a result of concomitant injures and complications. The prompt diagnosis of pelvis trauma, associated injuries, and other conditions linked to a high mortality rate can help identify those patients most at risk early in their care. This article attempts to identify specific factors linked to increased mortality. Such clinical information is helpful prognostically as well as in prioritizing patient care.