Bilateral arterial injury in the lower limbs associated with open pelvic fractures: a case report

The complications of pelvic fracture include blood loss, urinary tract injury, nerve injury and orthopaedic disability. Bleeding is quoted as the cause of death in 65 per cent of patients dying with a fractured pelvis (Rothenberger et al., 1978a). In a fifth of these patients disruption of the iliac or femoral vessels is the major source of bleeding. However, the incidence of major vessel injury in pelvic fractures is only 1 per cent. Arterial injury in both lower limbs is reported here, in association with an open fracture of the pelvis.