Surgical management of pelvic ring injuries

Posterior pelvic ring injuries disrupt the weight-bearing function of the pelvis and cause deformity that results in pain and loss of function. The indications for reduction and fixation are the presence of instability and/or deformity. Surgical fixation of the pelvic ring is divided into anterior and posterior ring injuries. In many instances, reduction and fixation of the anterior pelvic ring is not needed after reduction and fixation of the posterior pelvic ring. Although techniques exist for both open and closed reductions, the main dfficulty remains achieving anatomic restoration of the pelvis. Whether posterior pelvic ring injuries are best treated using closed reduction and fixation or open reduction and fixation remains a controversial topic.