title: [Treatment strategies for the diastasis of the symphysis pubis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate treatment methods and therapeutic effects of the diastasis of the symphysis pubis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirteen patients with diastasis of the symphysis pubis, including 7 male and 6 female, ranging in age from 20 to 54 years,were treated according to classification based on the pelvic stability. Five patients of type I were treated with conservative methods, five patients of type II were treated with external fixation, and three patients with type III were treated with posterior internal fixation combined with anterior external fixation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All the patients were followed-up and the duration of the follow-up ranged from 4 to 62 months, with an average of 14 months. According to the reduction, pain,gait, limb length and movement of hip,the therapeutic effects were evaluated. There were 7 patients obtaining excellent results, 5 good, 1 fair, the excellent and good rate was 92.3%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment methods should be chosen in view of the differences of the patients with diastasis of the symphysis pubis. The external fixation has advantages of simple operation, decreased wound and stable fixation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, People's Hospital of Zhuji, Zhuji 311800, Zhejiang, China. zhou-jm@163.com
authors.forename: Jian-Ming
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Yin-Can
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Gao-Cai
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Wei-Song
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Fang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016267:External Fixators; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011631:Pubic Symphysis / Q000293:injuries*