The Orthopedic clinics of North America
The most recent articles from:
Orthop. Clin. North Am.
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Orthop. Clin. North Am. · Jul 1997
Multicenter StudyOpen pelvic fractures. A multicenter retrospective analysis.
A marked discrepancy exists in the reported mortality rates in patients with open pelvic fractures, ranging from 4.8% to 50%. A retrospective review of patients with open pelvic fractures was performed at three centers. Thirty-nine patients with open pelvic fractures were identified; the average age was 32. ⋯ Delay in performing diverting colostomy correlated with a poor outcome. Previously described methods of treatment are still valid; however, there is a need for re-emphasis of early diverting colostomy in the patient with a rectal or perineal injury. A classification system for open pelvic fractures is proposed in this article.