DOI: 10.36347sjams.2017.v05i10.087

Pages: 4252-4256

We retrospectively investigated the accuracy of the diagnosis of pelvic fracture (PF) by emergency medical technicians (EMTs). From April 2012 to March 2017, we performed a retrospective medical chart review of the prehospital and hospital medical charts of all trauma patients who were transported to Numazu City Hospital by ambulance and who were diagnosed with PF by a computed tomography. The subjects were divided into two groups: the PF + group, which included patients who were diagnosed with PF by the EMTs at scene; and the PF – group. There were 29 patients in the PF (+) group and 61 in the PF (-) group. The accuracy of the prehospital diagnosis of PF was 32.2 % (29/90). The average age and the ratio of female patients in the PF (+) group were significantly lower in comparison to the PF (-) group. In contrast, the classifications of the PFs in the PF (+) group were significantly more severe than those in the PF (-) group. The injury severity score values in the PF (+) group were greater than those in the PF (-) group; however the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.05). The risk factors for the misdiagnosis of PF in the prehospital setting included advanced age, female sex, and minor pelvic fracture. However, the misdiagnosis of PF by EMTs did not affect the final outcome.