How Are Iliac Fractures Treated?

Discussion Avulsion fractures of the pelvis are more commonly seen in adults and teenage athletes. Currently they are more common in male athletes but with the increased number of females in sports, more are also being seen in females. Soccer and track and field are common sports where these injuries occur. The injuries are felt to be caused by a repetitive traction on the apophysis or more commonly due to a ‘sudden, forceful, or unbalanced contraction of an attached musculotendinous unit while engaged in a sporting event…. Skeletal maturity has a direct effect on the incidence of the injury.” They can occur more often around the time of ossification and therefore there may be slight differences of age. For example, the anterior inferior iliac spine (AIIS) fuses at 16-18 years and the anterior superior iliac spine (ASIS) fuses at 21-25 years. The lesser trochanter fuses at 15-17 years and the ischial tuberosity at 20-25 years. A recent review found ~2/3 of patients with AIIS and ~1/3 with ASIS fractures, with the average ages of pelvic avulsion fractures being 14.4 years in males and 13.7 years in females. The patient usually moves in a way that causes sudden muscle contraction (i.e. kicking the ball, sprinting) and then has instant pain at the fracture site and loses function of the muscle. A lump may be noted which is the avulsed fragment of bone. There can be swelling and tenderness in the affected area, along with reproducible pain with movement of the a...
Source: PediatricEducation.org - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: news