Summary of controversial debates during the 5th "Homburg Pelvic Course" 13-15 September 2006

Based on low incidence and lack of personal experience only few evidence based studies exist on several questions in pelvic and acetabular surgery. As part of an international consensus pelvic and acetabular course personal preferences and experience of an distinguished faculty and senior participants were discussed and we summarize in the paper the consented opinions and trends. Topics included the emergency treatment of life threatening pelvic ring injuries, treatment strategies in unstable sacral fractures, preferred surgical methods for transiliosacral screw fixation of the posterior pelvic ring, the value of CT and conventional radiographs in diagnostic of acetabular fractures, the choice of approach for treatment of acetabular fractures, the open vs. arthroscopic treatment of the femoro acetabular impingement of the hip and the treatment modalities in pelvic and acetabular fractures in geriatric patients. One has to keep in mind that this statements may help in the process of personal decision making in this difficult surgical field, but should not act as evidence based recommendations.