title: Supra-acetabular fixation and sacroiliac screws for treating unstable pelvic ring injuries: preliminary results from 20 patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the treatment results from 20 patients who underwent an alternative osteosynthesis method as definitive treatment for pelvic ring fractures.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis was conducted on a series of 20 patients with pelvic ring fractures (Tile type C) and a high risk of postoperative infection, who were treated at Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo between August 2004 and December 2012. The patients underwent percutaneous supra-acetabular external fixation in association with cannulated 7.0 mm iliosacral screws.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patients' mean age was 40 years (range 22-77 years) and the mean length of follow-up was 18.5 months (range 3-69 months). At the end of the treatment, ten patients (50%) were classified as having good results, nine patients (45%) had fair results and one patient (5%) did not have any improvement. Six patients presented complications, and paresthesia of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve was the most frequent of these (two patients).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Supra-acetabular external fixation in association with iliosacral percutaneous osteosynthesis is a good definitive treatment method for patients with a high risk of postoperative infection.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Santa Casa de São Paulo (FCMSCSP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rodrigo Pereira
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Guimarães
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Santa Casa de São Paulo (FCMSCSP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Arthur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Góes Ribeiro
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Santa Casa de São Paulo (FCMSCSP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ulson
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Santa Casa de São Paulo (FCMSCSP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ricardo Bertozzi
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: de Ávila
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Santa Casa de São Paulo (FCMSCSP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Nelson Keiske
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Ono
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Santa Casa de São Paulo (FCMSCSP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Giancarlo Cavalli
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Polesello
keywords: External fixators; Fracture fixation, internal; Retrospective studies; Surgical procedures, minimally invasive