Pelvic crush fractures in survivors of the Sichuan earthquake evaluated by digital radiography and multidetector computed tomography

To investigate the profile of pelvic crush fractures in earthquake victims on digital radiography (DR) and multidetector computed tomography (MDCT).

One hundred and sixty-seven consecutive survivors of the 2008 Sichuan earthquake with pelvic crush fractures classified into types according to the Tile classification system, entered our study. One hundred and thirty-nine, and 28 patients underwent DR and MDCT scans, respectively. Data were reviewed retrospectively focusing on anatomical sites, numbers, and classification of pelvic ring fractures.

Pelvic fractures occurred in the pubis in 88 patients (52.7%), in other pelvic bones in 32 (19.16%), and in both the pubis and other pelvic bones in 47 (28.14%). Pubic fractures were more common than fractures of other pelvic bones, and involvement of bilateral pubis was more common than that of the left or right pubis (all p < 0.05). As for the numbers of pelvic bones involved, multiple fractures occurred in 48.52% patients (81 out of 167) composed predominantly of fractures of two bones in 58.02% (47 out of 81), and were seen more often in bilateral pubis than in any other pelvic bones (p < 0.05). Regarding classifications of pelvic ring fractures, they were Type A in 31 patients (18.56%); Type B in 72 (43.11%), predominantly Type B2 in 26 (15.58%) and Type B3 in 28 (16.77%); and Type C in 64 (38.32%), predominantly Type C3 in 40 (23.95%).

Pelvic crush fractures particularly including multiple pelvic fractures, occurring predominantly in bilateral pubis, and composed of Type C3 followed by Type B3 and Type B2, could be considered to be the profile of pelvic crush fractures in an earthquake.