Misdiagnosis of Congenital Pubic Symphysis Diastasis as Post-Traumatic Pubic Diastasis: A Case Report.

Abstract

In patients with congenital pubic diastasis, who present with polytrauma injury, pubic diastasis could be falsely attributed to the traumatic event. This generally occurs in asymptomatic patients whose anomaly is not diagnosed before the traumatic event. In this report, we present a case of a 26-year-old male with fracture-dislocation of the left hip and congenital agenesis of pubic bones that was initially misdiagnosed as post-traumatic pubic diastasis due to the patient's reduced consciousness. A closer examination led to noticing his micropenis and the scar from the earlier surgical intervention, and thereby, suspicion of the congenital etiology of the pubic diastasis, later confirmed by pre-trauma radiography. This case reveals that the congenital etiology of pubic diastasis could be missed owing to the patient's reduced consciousness. Therefore, a full inspection of the etiology of pelvic ring injury is necessary before conducting any surgical intervention.