Single Trans-sacral Screw Versus Two Iliosacral Screws

Sacroiliac screws (SISs) have been used since Vidal et al introduced them in 1973. Since that, SIS fixation has become a common technology in fixing pelvic posterior ring injuries with important progress in the past 20 years. Currently, SIS fixation represents the only minimally invasive technique to stabilize the posterior pelvic ring. For that reason, it is steadily gaining popularity, becoming one of the most commonly used techniques. The sacrum, serving as the foundation of the spine, transmits the stress between spine and pelvis through sacroiliac joints. Thus, the goal of surgical fixation is the reconstruction of the spino-pelvic-junction to allow early weight-bearing and to facilitate nursing care, particularly for multiple injured patients. As a result of the deforming forces acting perpendicular to the implant axis, routine ilio-sacral screws fixation may not provide adequate stabilization, especially in certain unstable injuries. Longer trans-sacral screws that traverse the entire upper sacrum and exit the contralateral iliac cortex may improve holding power and also stabilize concomitant contralateral posterior pelvic injuries. These trans-sacral screws are reliably safe to insert using routine intraoperative fluoroscopy, and they provide durable fixation.