Pelvic fractures at a community hospital

One hundred twenty-eight pelvic fractures were reviewed. Of the 128 patients with pelvic fractures, there were seven deaths. Pelvic fractures associated with the greatest blood loss and complications were those which occurred in crush-type injuries secondary to automobile accidents or other heavy impact injuries. Unless fractures were of a crush-type with massive fractures, the amount of blood loss correlated more closely with the history of injury than it did with the x-ray appearance of pelvic fracture. A single patient in this series had greater than 45 units blood loss and exhibited many of the basic problems encountered when dealing with patients with major pelvic fractures. The case of this patient is reviewed in detail, including component therapy for massive blood loss. The prophylactic use of caval filtration or an umbrella device might be warranted in patients with massive pelvic fractures.