title: [High rate of sacral fractures in elderly patients presenting pubic rami fractures].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pubic rami fractures are common in the elderly, resulting from low energy traumatic falls. The recovery of some of these patients may be disproportionately slow.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the characteristics of older patients admitted with pubic rami fractures and possible associated pelvic fractures.
  
  
  METHODS
  We have prospectively examined nineteen consecutive female patients admitted from the emergency ward with a diagnosis of pubic rami fractures, during a one-year period. Patients underwent bone scans and pelvis computerized tomography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six of these patients had associated sacral fractures as demonstrated by pelvic CT scan. None of these sacral fractures was diagnosed on admission to the emergency ward.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a considerable high rate of association of combined pubic and sacral fractures. Greater awareness of this clinical condition is required.
authors.affiliation: Depts. of Geriatric Medicine, Institute of Imaging, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer.
authors.forename: Abraham
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Adunsky
authors.forename: Yerucham
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kleinbaum
authors.forename: Rami
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Levi
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arad
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D010384:Pelvic Bones / Q000293:injuries*; D011630:Pubic Bone / Q000293:injuries*; D012189:Retrospective Studies