ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

Minerva Ortopedica e Traumatologica 2010 June;61(3):165-75

Copyright © 2010 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: Italian

Motorcycle accidents and pelvic fractures: epidemiology and dynamics

Deregibus M., Capella M., Nicodemo A., Matteotti R., Massè A.

¹ Struttura Complessa a Direzione Universitaria di Ortopedia e Traumatologia, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria, San Luigi Gonzaga, Orbassano, Torino, Italia; ² Clinica Ortopedica e Traumatologica, Azienda Ospedaliera C.T.O./Maria Adelaide, Torino, Italia

AIM: The aim of this study was to make a survey of the dynamics of motorcycle accidents and their correlation with the type of trauma, particularly with pelvic injury. In the literature similar studies refer only to car accidents.
METHODS: The study enrolled every motorcycle crash victim with a pelvic or acetabular fracture surgically treated from 2005 to 2008 at the Maria Adelaide Hospital in Turin and San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital in Orbassano. The population includes 53 cases: 29 pelvic ring disruptions and 24 acetabular fractures. The mean age was 39 years (range 14-57), the most represented group included patients aged between 30-40 years. A questionnaire which investigated the dynamics of the crash, the injuries reported, the type of motorcycle and the protective clothing worn was administered to every patient.
RESULTS: The most common type of impact is the frontal crash. The most common pelvic ring disruptions are type B2 and C for lateral crash and B1 for frontal crash. Sportbikes have a higher risk of pelvic ring fractures, particularly the C-type. Fracture rate of the posterior wall or column of the acetabulum is significantly higher in the scooter group, probably because of a mechanism similar to the “car dashboard injury”. Among extrapelvic fractures, the wrist and forearm fractures are more common in frontal crashes, while the humeral and tibial fractures are more common in lateral crashes. The overall compliance with protective clothes wearing, as back-protector, technical trousers and boots, turns out to be very low (about 20%).
CONCLUSION: Further studies are necessary to get some conclusions useful for prevention.