Prospective Characterization of Pain and Function in Patients With Unstable Pelvic Fractures Treated With Posterior Screw Fixation

Objectives: Describe patient-reported pain and function within 24 months of a pelvic fracture treated with posterior screw fixation and identify factors associated with increased pain. Design: Prospective case series. Setting: Academic trauma center. Patients/Intervention: Eighty-eight patients with adult pelvic fracture treated with sacroiliac or transiliac screws. Main Outcome Measures: Average pain measured with the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI); function measured with the Majeed Pelvic Outcome Score from 6 to 24 months postinjury. Results: The mean pain from 6 to 24 months postinjury was 2.22 on the 10-point BPI scale (95% CI, 0.64–3.81). Sixty-nine patients (78.4%) reported mild to no pain at 6 months; 12 (13.6%) patients had severe pain. Two years after injury, 71 patients (80.6%) exhibited mild to no pain. Within 24 months of injury, the mean pelvic function was 71 on the 100-point Majeed scale (95% CI, 60–82). Half of the sample (n = 44) had good to excellent pelvis function by 6 months postinjury; 55 patients (62.5%) attained this level of function by 24 months. A history of chronic pain (1.31; 95% CI, 0.26–2.37; P = 0.02), initial fracture displacement (≥5 mm) (0.99; 95% CI, 0.23–1.69; P = 0.01), and socioeconomic deprivation (0.28; 95% CI, 0.11–0.44; P
Source: Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma - Category: Orthopaedics Tags: Original Article Source Type: research