Objectives: To provide evidence on the midterm sexual-function- and health-related quality-of-life outcome of patients with a traumatic pelvic fracture, as recorded at least 12 months after their surgery.
Design: Prospective noncomparative study.
Setting: Tertiary referral centre for pelvic-and-acetabular reconstruction.
Patients and participants: Cohort of patients attending a dedicated pelvic-and-acetabular reconstruction clinic because of blunt pelvic trauma, at a minimum of a year after their injury.
Intervention: Operatively treated pelvic fractures and concomitant surgical interventions for associated injuries, if any, sustained by the patients after blunt trauma.
Main outcome measures: Sexual function questionnaires: IIEF (international index of erectile function) and FSFI (female sexual function index). Quality of life was assessed with the EuroQol-5D questionnaire.
Results: Of a cohort of 110 patients, 80 patients (48 males and 32 females) consented to participate with a median age of 46 years (range, 19-65 years). Of the above cohort, 62.5% were a result of road traffic accidents and 52.5% were classified as lateral compression type fractures. Assessment occurred at a median period of 36 months after injury (range, 12-96). Overall, significant decrease of their quality of life (P < 0.0001) and sexual function were recorded (males, P < 0.00014; females, P < 0.001). Sexual dysfunction was identified in 43.8% of the female and 52.1% of the male patients, as per the validated gender-specific sexual function scores (female sexual function index and international index of erectile function, respectively). Regression analysis identified the presence of urinary tract injury (P < 0.049) and open surgical treatment (P < 0.047) as independent risk factors for sexual dysfunction. A near significant association with injury severity score (P = 0.05) was seen. Male gender (P < 0.006), abdominal injury (P < 0.0001), pelvic fracture severity (P < 0.049), pain (P < 0.0001), and sexual dysfunction (P < 0.034) were identified as significant independent risk factors for decreased quality of life.
Conclusions: All domains of female and male sexual function were significantly decreased at a minimum of a year after pelvic fracture. Quality of life was also significantly decreased in this group with sexual dysfunction shown to be an independent risk factor for decreased quality of life after injury. Further pivotal clinical studies should follow based on the provided evidence. High clinical suspicion and prompt engagement of appropriate multidisciplinary pathways, including urological, gynecological, and psychiatric consultations, is recommended.
Level of evidence: Prognostic Level II. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.