OBJECTIVETo investigate treatment methods and therapeutic effects of the diastasis of the symphysis pubis.

METHODSThirteen patients with diastasis of the symphysis pubis, including 7 male and 6 female, ranging in age from 20 to 54 years,were treated according to classification based on the pelvic stability. Five patients of type I were treated with conservative methods, five patients of type II were treated with external fixation, and three patients with type III were treated with posterior internal fixation combined with anterior external fixation.

RESULTSAll the patients were followed-up and the duration of the follow-up ranged from 4 to 62 months, with an average of 14 months. According to the reduction, pain,gait, limb length and movement of hip,the therapeutic effects were evaluated. There were 7 patients obtaining excellent results, 5 good, 1 fair, the excellent and good rate was 92.3%.

CONCLUSIONTreatment methods should be chosen in view of the differences of the patients with diastasis of the symphysis pubis. The external fixation has advantages of simple operation, decreased wound and stable fixation.