Pelvic Fractures in Adults and the Importance of Associated Injuries—A Current Multi-Disciplinary Approach

TL;DR

This paper discusses the management of adult pelvic fractures, emphasizing the need for a multi-disciplinary approach to handle associated injuries and complications.

Contribution

The paper provides a current overview of treatment strategies and classification systems for pelvic ring fractures.

Findings

Arterial hemorrhages in pelvic fractures often originate from the iliac artery and are treated with pelvic stabilization and intravascular procedures.

Venous hemorrhages are best managed with peritoneal pelvic packing.

Multi-disciplinary care and treatment algorithms are crucial for effective management of these injuries.

Abstract

Background: Pelvic ring fractures are a significant and growing health problem in the field of trauma and orthopedic surgery. The aim of this paper was to present a concise description of these musculoskeletal injuries, available classification systems, and vascular and genitourinary complications. Results: The most common complications of serious pelvic ring fractures are arterial and venous hemorrhages, as well as urethral injuries. Arterial hemorrhages most often originate from the trunk or branches of the iliac artery, and the standard treatment is pelvic stabilization and implementation of intravascular procedures. In the case of venous hemorrhages, peritoneal pelvic packing is the most important. Conclusions: A multi-disciplinary approach and treatment algorithmization are important to facilitate the prioritization of therapeutic procedures. Treatment of patients with pelvic ring fractures should take place in specialized trauma centers.