Post-traumatic pelvic haemorrhage: What do I need to know?

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Vascular Anatomy
• Trauma Management

Background:

• Hemodynamic instability from vascular lesions and active bleeding is a primary cause of mortality in blunt pelvic trauma.
• Accurate diagnosis of bleeding origin (arterial, venous, bony) is essential for guiding treatment decisions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe pelvic vascular anatomy and CT protocols for diagnosing vascular lesions.
• To provide a pelvic vascularization map to aid in identifying bleeding arteries.
• To emphasize the role of early transarterial embolization in managing pelvic fracture bleeding.

Main Methods:

• Detailed description of pelvic vessel anatomy.
• Outline of CT imaging protocol for vascular lesion diagnosis.
• Presentation of a pelvic vascularization map.

Main Results:

• The article details pelvic vascular anatomy and a CT protocol for diagnosing vascular lesions.
• A pelvic vascularization map is provided to help identify the artery responsible for bleeding.
• Early transarterial embolization is highlighted as an effective intervention.

Conclusions:

• Accurate diagnosis of bleeding source in blunt pelvic trauma is critical.
• A pelvic vascularization map aids in guiding interventional radiologists.
• Early transarterial embolization is the most effective intervention for arterial bleeding in pelvic fractures, improving survival.