Abdominopelvic injury associated with pelvic fracture

A retrospective study of 117 cases of pelvic fracture was undertaken to determine the incidence of associated abdominopelvic injury. Fractures of the pubic rami were found to be most common. Seventeen patients (15%) had significant intra-abdominal or genitourinay injury. The bladder and spleen were injured most often. Clinical evaluation, or peritoneal lavage, gave an impression of abdominopelvic visceral injury in the presence or absence of demonstrable injury. Seventy-three of 84 (87%) patients who had urinalyses in the emergency department had microscopic or gross hematuria. Of these, only those with gross hematuria had significant urologic injury. There were four fatalities.