Definitive control of mortality from severe pelvic fracture

Within a group of 271 patients with pelvic fracture, 69 patients met criteria for severe hemorrhage. Sixty consecutive patients were treated by a combined multispecialty musculoskeletal trauma service using a protocol designed to control bleeding, rapidly diagnose and control associated injuries, as well as to prepare the patient for open reduction of the pelvic fracture, if appropriate. The pneumatic antishock garment, external fixation, and angiography were selectively used to control bleeding. Abdominal injuries were diagnosed using clinical examination and diagnostic peritoneal lavage. When lavage aspirate was grossly bloody, patients had no negative explorations. Microscopically positive lavages were associated with a 50% false-negative rate. Using the protocol, the mortality rate was 5%. Overall mortality rate was 10%. The combination of a trauma team approach and a specifically designed protocol reduces the number of deaths from pelvic fracture.