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Percutaneous S2 alar iliac pelvic fracture fixation can be effective in certain patients
Use of percutaneous S2 alar iliac screw fixation was found to provide a safe surgical option for the treatment of iliac stress fractures among patients for whom nonoperative treatment was unsuccessful, according to study findings.
The study included a 65-year-old woman with a history of metastatic rectal carcinoma treated with pelvic radiation who had an iliac stress fracture that progressed to nonunion. The patient’s symptoms continued for 5 years after initial diagnosis.
Protected weight bearing, physiotherapy, calcium and vitamin D3 supplementation were found to be unsuccessful, and no evidence on radiographs of healing, according to the researchers. Since the patient’s history of cancer contraindicated treatment with osteoblastic activity-enhancing medication, and due to poor outcomes associated with open treatment, the researchers chose to stabilize the fracture using a percutaneous technique.
By 2 months after treatment, most of the patient’s symptoms resolved, and by 6 months, the researchers observed radiographic evidence of union.
Disclosure: Kebaish is a paid consultant for and receives grant support from DePuy Spine and K2M and holds stock in K2M.