Epidemiology and injury characteristics of pelvic ring injuries at a level 1 trauma centre: A 10-year retrospective cohort study.

Abstract

Contemporary epidemiological data describing the spectrum of pelvic ring injuries in developing trauma systems remain limited. This study evaluated the epidemiology, injury characteristics, management patterns, and early outcomes of pelvic ring injuries treated at a high-volume Level 1 trauma centre. A retrospective cohort study of consecutive patients with pelvic ring injuries treated at a Level 1 trauma centre between January 2014 and December 2024 was conducted. Demographic characteristics, injury patterns, associated injuries, physiological status, complications, mortality, length of hospital stay, and readmission were evaluated. A total of 1451 patients with pelvic ring injuries were included, of whom 68.6% were male and 80.7% were aged ≤ 60 years. Road traffic accidents were the predominant mechanism of injury (67.5%), followed by falls from height (21.6%). Among classifiable adult injuries, lateral compression fractures were the most common pattern (79.1%). Combined pelvic ring-acetabular injuries were identified in 21.6% of patients, and 23.8% of patients met the predefined criteria for polytrauma. Lower limb fractures (33.6%), upper limb fractures (29.1%), and head injuries (28.9%) were the most frequent associated injuries. Most patients were managed non-operatively (81.9%), while 18.1% underwent surgical treatment. The overall mortality rate was 1.4%, and the mean length of hospital stay was 11.2 ± 8.3 days. Pelvic ring injuries predominantly affected young males involved in road traffic accidents and were most commonly associated with lateral compression fracture patterns. Approximately one-quarter of patients presented with polytrauma, highlighting the frequent association between pelvic ring injuries and concomitant multisystem trauma. These findings provide contemporary epidemiological data from a high-volume Level 1 trauma centre and may help inform trauma-system planning and resource allocation in similar healthcare settings.