Femoral nerve palsy after pelvic fracture treated with INFIX: a case series.

OBJECTIVE: The treatment of some pelvic injuries has evolved recently to include the use of a subcutaneous anterior pelvic fixator (INFIX). We present 8 cases of femoral nerve palsy in 6 patients after application of an INFIX to highlight this potentially devastating complication to pelvic surgeons using this technique and discuss how it might be avoided in the future. DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. Case series. SETTING: Five level 1 and 2 trauma centers, tertiary referral hospitals. PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS: Six patients with anterior pelvic ring injury treated with an INFIX who experienced 8 femoral nerve palsies (2 bilateral). INTERVENTION: Removal of internal fixator, treatment for femoral nerve palsy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Clinical and electromyographic evaluation of patients. RESULTS: All 6 patients with a total of 8 femoral nerve palsies had their INFIX removed. Variable resolution of the nerve injuries was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Application of an INFIX for the treatment of pelvic ring injury carries a potentially devastating risk to the femoral nerve(s). Despite early implant removal after detection of nerve injury, some patients had residual quadriceps weakness, disturbance of the thigh's skin sensation, and/or gait disturbance attributable to femoral nerve palsy at the time of early final follow-up. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.