Traumatic Hemipelvectomy with a Contralateral Unstable Pelvis and Acetabular Fracture: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Traumatic hemipelvectomy: an appeal for primary completion

Traumatic hemipelvectomy (TH) is a rare and extremely severe injury of the pelvic area, which is often life-threatening and associated with a high mortality rate. Individual treatment is focused on the pelvic fracture and the type of accompanying injuries. The management of these severely injured patients places a considerable challenge on the resuscitation team. Patient management should be aggressive from the start. Current literature is focused predominantly on survivors, with only few case series providing possible treatment recommendations. Aggressive initial treatment is focused on standardized damage-control procedures during the prehospital, emergency room, and initial surgical phase to prevent exsanguination and contamination; a massive transfusion protocol should also be initiated immediately to address traumatic coagulopathy. Standard vascular treatment addresses the vascular injury. Colostomy is often recommended for adequate soft-tissue trauma management. Attempts at limb salvage often result in higher complications rates with non-functional limbs compared with completion of the TH. Thus, in cases of critical ischemia and identified relevant sacral nervous plexus injury during initial debridement in predominantly open injuries, primary completion of the hemipelvectomy is recommended. Level of Evidence: IV.

Long-term physical and psychological outcome following traumatic hemipelvectomy

Purpose

First time examination of the physical and psychological long-term outcome following traumatic hemipelvectomy.

Methodology

In this study, all patients suffering from traumatic hemipelvectomy that were treated in a level-A trauma center since 1988 were retrospectively evaluated. The authors aimed to compare the physical and psychological outcome following primary amputation (A) vs. limb-preservation (LP) procedures. The patients were examined with a focus on pain, function, mobility and general health. As part of this examination, various scores were recorded, i.e., Majeed Score, Time up & Go or SF-36.

Results

The following work showed 13 patients who had suffered a traumatic hemipelvectomy, 8 of whom survived. Five of these were available for subsequent clinical re-examination; of these, three patients underwent an amputation, while limb preservation was performed on two patients. Mean follow-up of the amputee group was after 12 years compared to 6.5 years following limb preservation. After limb preservation, both patients reported phantom limb pain at the affected leg, despite pain medication. The general state of health was assessed as 82/100 (A) and 45/100 (LP). The Majeed score was 61 (A) vs. 45 (LP). In the clinical examination, three out of five patients (2 LP, 1 A) showed peroneal palsy (PP). In the quality-of-life analysis based on the SF12/36 and the NHP, amputees scored higher than the patients who underwent limb preservation surgery.

Conclusion

In our small patient cohort, satisfaction, pain and mobility tend to be better following primary amputation compared to limb preserving surgery.