Screw or no screw? trial tests best fix for elderly pelvic fractures
NCT ID NCT05765669
First seen Jul 10, 2026 · Last updated Jul 10, 2026
Summary
This trial compares two approaches for a specific type of pelvic fracture (LC1) in people aged 60 and older. One group receives a minimally invasive surgery to place screws that stabilize the bone, while the other group gets pain management and physical therapy without surgery. The goal is to see which method helps patients regain mobility and reduce pain more effectively.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Percutaneous screw fixation (surgical procedure)
- What this could lead to
- If screw fixation proves better, it could become a standard treatment to help elderly patients with this fracture walk sooner and with less pain.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage trial with only 50 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. Surgery also carries risks like infection or complications from anesthesia.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
-
50 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
-
May 2023
- Finished
-
Nov 2025
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
60 to 100 years
- Sex
-
Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Patients \>/= 60 years of age * Lateral compression 1 pelvic ring fractures confirmed with plain radiographs, CT and/or MRI * Low energy mechanism of injury or an insufficiency fracture without a precipitating event * Acute injury within four weeks of presentation * Inability or significant pain to mobilize with physical therapy assistance for 48 hours: Significant pain as determined by a pain score ≥ 7 with the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) after a Timed "Up \& Go" (TUG) assessment, or inability to complete the TUG assessment. Exclusion Criteria: * Dementia * Vertically or rotationally unstable pelvic ring injuries * Pathologic fracture secondary to tumor * Non-ambulatory prior to injury * Acute neurologic deficit * High-energy mechanism of injury * Concomitant injuries affecting ambulation * Presence of another injury or medical condition that prevents ambulation * Presence of implant or sacral morphology that prevents percutaneous sacral fixation * Enrollment in another research study the precludes co-enrollment * Likely problems, in the judgement of the investigators, with maintaining follow-up (i.e. patients with no fixed address, etc.) * Incarcerated or pending incarceration
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Lateral compression 1 pelvic fracture are added.
By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use
Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Allina, Mercy Hospital
Coon Rapids, Minnesota, 55433, United States
-
HealthPartners, Regions Hospital
Saint Paul, Minnesota, 55101, United States
-
Park Nicollet, Methodist Hospital
Saint Louis Park, Minnesota, 55426, United States