Isolated penetrating gluteal injuries

In the authors' institution, 27 patients with gluteal injuries were treated surgically during the past 17 years. All patients were males, and the mean age was 32.4 years. Most patients (89%) had stab wounds. The lesion was on the right buttock in 16 (59%) patients and on the left buttock in 11 (41%) patients. Bleeding was the most common presenting sign. The superior gluteal artery and its branches were the most commonly injured arteries (89%). Surgical procedure was arterial ligation alone in all but one case, whereas one patient underwent coil embolization. Mortality was 11% and included 1 death on arrival to the medical center and 2 intraoperative deaths. To achieve a low rate of morbidity and mortality with such injuries, careful physical examination and immediate surgical or endovascular treatment is needed.