Orthopedic trauma: pelvic fracture

1. The incidence of pelvic fractures has greatly increased; automobile and motorcycle crashes, pedestrian accidents, and falls from great height are the most common causes. Pelvic fractures caused by high-energy trauma often result in significant morbidity and mortality with mortality rates variously reported at 10% to 50%, dependent upon fracture classification and associated injuries. Mortality occurs from associated trauma to viscera, abdominal organs, and abdominal vessels, and from early complications of hemorrhage. 2. The difficulty in management of patients with pelvic fractures is determining whether fractures are stable or unstable. Single breaks with no displacement in the pelvic ring, which includes injuries to the ischium, ilium, pubis, and sacrum, are stable fractures and account for one third of all pelvic fractures. 3. Increasingly widespread use of surgical stabilization internally via rigid fixation of pelvic fractures has helped reduce the morbidity and mortality related to these fractures. Other benefits that have resulted include shortened hospitalization, decreased complications, and earlier mobility.