[Clinical treatment of open pelvic fractures associated with perineal injury].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the method and the effectiveness of open pelvic fractures associated with perineal injury.

METHODS: Between August 2000 and July 2010, 16 cases of open pelvic fractures associated with perineal injury were treated. There were 12 males and 4 females with an average age of 41 years (range, 17-69 years). Injury was caused by traffic accidents in 9 cases, by falling from height in 6 cases, and by crushing in 1 case. The mean time between injury and admission was 8 minutes (range, 5-20 minutes). According to Tile classification, 2 cases were rated as type A, 6 as type B, and 8 as type C. The wound size ranged from 5 cm x 3 cm to 15 cm x 12 cm. The perineal injured location included intraperitoneal rectal injury in 2 cases and extraperitoneal anorectal injury in 14 cases. The average injury severity score (ISS) was 29 (range, 25-48). The main treatments included emergency resuscitation, colostomy, external fixation of fractures, repeated debridement with pulsatile irrigation followed by intravenous antibiotics, and vacuum sealing drainage (VSD).

RESULTS: In 5 deaths, 3 cases died of hemorrhagic shock and 2 cases died of multiple system organ failure within 4 days of admission. The other 11 cases were followed up 6-46 months (mean, 14 months). The X-ray films showed that bone union was achieved after 2-4 months of operation. Infection in varying degree occurred at perineal wounds; second stage healing of wounds was achieved in 10 cases after debridement and VSD treatment, and wound healed in 1 case after gracilis muscle flap repair. No anal incontinence occurred in the patients having anorectal injury during follow-up.

CONCLUSION: For patients with perineal injury and open pelvic fractures, the following treatments should be carried out so as to obtain good effectiveness: early anti-shock, protection of important organ function, treatment of complications, late resistance to infection and stability restoration of the pelvic ring, functional repair and reconstruction of rectum and anal canal and urinary tract.