Prevalence of Sacral Dysmorphia in Trauma Patients
Author Information
Author(s): Erik A Hasenboehler, Philip F Stahel, Allison Williams, Wade R Smith, Justin T Newman, David L Symonds, Steven J Morgan
Primary Institution: Denver Health Medical Center, University of Colorado Denver, School of Medicine
Hypothesis
What is the prevalence of sacral dysmorphia in a trauma population and how does it affect surgical corridors for screw placement?
Conclusion
The study found a high prevalence of sacral dysmorphia in trauma patients, particularly affecting female patients, which may increase the risk of surgical complications.
Supporting Evidence
- 14.5% of patients showed radiographic evidence of sacral dysmorphia.
- Female patients had significantly narrower surgical corridors than male patients.
- S2 body height was higher in dysmorphic sacra, suggesting it as a safer corridor for screw placement.
Takeaway
This study looked at how common unusual shapes of the sacrum are in trauma patients and found that many have these shapes, which can make surgery trickier, especially for women.
Methodology
This was a prospective observational cohort study analyzing pelvic CT scans of trauma patients to assess sacral dysmorphia and surgical corridors.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the exclusion of patients with certain conditions and reliance on subjective assessments of sacral anatomy.
Limitations
The study was underpowered to determine significant gender-associated differences in the prevalence of sacral dysmorphia and relied on non-injured CT scans.
Participant Demographics
344 trauma patients (245 males, 99 females) aged 18 to 70.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.069
Statistical Significance
p<0.01
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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