TITLE:
Pelvic Fractures in Children: About 30 Cases Observed at University Hospital of Brazzaville
AUTHORS:
Caryne Mboutol-Mandavo, Michel Carrel Kombila, Moïse Service Yanguedet, Rhodia Bosséba Missengui, Jean-Claude Miéret, Jean-Robert Mabiala Babéla
KEYWORDS:
Fractures, Pelvis, Child, Brazzaville
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Orthopedics,
Vol.16 No.9,
September
30,
2026
ABSTRACT: Introduction: Trauma in children is a major public health problem. Pelvic fractures involve all fractures of the pelvic girdle: iliac bone, sacrum, and coccyx. It is uncommon in children. Their seriousness is due to the traumatic injuries that are often associated with them, because of the violence of the trauma. Patients and Methods: We performed a descriptive study conducted from 2012 to 2022 (10 years) in the pediatric surgery department of Brazzaville University Hospital. Data collection was retrospective. We studied the records of all children aged 0 - 16 years hospitalized for pelvic fracture in order to determine their diagnostic and therapeutic aspects in Brazzaville. Results: Our study included 30 cases of pelvic fractures. There was a male predominance, with 20 boys (66.7%) and 10 girls (33.3%). The average age was 8.5 years (extremes 2 and 15 years), with a peak between the ages of 6 and 10. Road traffic accidents were the most common cause, accounting for 21 cases (70%). Inguinal pain and functional impotence of the pelvic limb were the symptoms consistently found. All patients had a pelvic X-ray. Fractures occurred in 24 cases (80%) on the obturator frame. Il s’agissait le plus souvent des fractures de type 3 de Torode et Zeig. Five (16.6%) patients had polytrauma. Almost all patients had received orthopedic treatment, and all had a favorable outcome. Conclusion: Pelvic fractures are rare in children, and are often caused by road accidents. They are most often associated with other injuries, sometimes in the context of polytrauma. Treatment is usually functional and/or orthopedic, with good functional results.