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Classification of Pelvic Ring Fractures in Skeletonized Human Remains |
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| Authors: | Socorro Báez-Molgado PhD Eric J Bartelink PhD Lyman M Jellema PhD Linda Spurlock PhD Sabrina B Sholts PhD |
| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Anthropology, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX
Instituto de Investigaciones Antropológicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico Additional information and reprint requests: Socorro Báez-Molgado, Ph.D. Department of Anthropology Texas State University 601 University Drive San Marcos, TX 78666 E-mail: socorro@forost.org;2. Department of Anthropology, California State University, Chico, CA;3. Department of Anthropology, Kent State University, Kent, OH;4. Department of Physical Anthropology, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Cleveland, OH;5. Department of Anthropology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC |
| Abstract: | Pelvic ring fractures are associated with high rates of mortality and thus can provide key information about circumstances surrounding death. These injuries can be particularly informative in skeletonized remains, yet difficult to diagnose and interpret. This study adapted a clinical system of classifying pelvic ring fractures according to their resultant degree of pelvic stability for application to gross human skeletal remains. The modified Tile criteria were applied to the skeletal remains of 22 individuals from the Cleveland Museum of Natural History and Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México that displayed evidence of pelvic injury. Because these categories are tied directly to clinical assessments concerning the severity and treatment of injuries, this approach can aid in the identification of manner and cause of death, as well as interpretations of possible mechanisms of injury, such as those typical in car-to-pedestrian and motor vehicle accidents. |
| Keywords: | forensic science forensic anthropology pelvic ring fracture motor vehicle accident skeletal remains trauma analysis |
