Pediatric surgery international
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Pediatr. Surg. Int. · Sep 2008
Prehospital predictors of risk for pelvic fractures in pediatric trauma patients.
Pelvic fractures are uncommon in children, but can occur as a result of high-energy impact injuries to the lower torso in association with blunt trauma. Pelvic fractures can be associated with significant morbidity while the work-up and treatment for these injuries is costly. The aim was to identify risk factors that help determine which pediatric trauma patients are at highest risk of sustaining a pelvic fracture to aid in the development of criteria for the targeted use of pelvic radiographic imaging. ⋯ Compared to blunt trauma injuries from falls, children who were struck by vehicles or who were occupants in motor vehicle crashes (MVC) were six times (P = 0.000) and twice (P = 0.02) as likely to sustain a pelvic fracture, respectively. Four factors were demonstrated by this study to be significantly associated with pediatric pelvic fractures: being Caucasian, age between 5 and 14 years, being struck as a pedestrian or a motor vehicle crash occupant. Identification of these factors may aid clinicians in selecting patients who are at highest risk for pelvic fracture and may benefit most from pelvic radiography.