The Role of External Fixation for The Treatment of The Pelvic Injuries: Indications And Current Concepts

Abstract

The management of major pelvic fractures continues to be an issue of a great importance in skeletal trauma surgery. The internal and/or external fixations of the pelvic ring are mainly used techniques for the operative treatment. Anatomical or near anatomical, and stable reduction should be performed on patients for early rehabilitation, although there is no a direct relationship between the treatment modality and outcome of the pelvic injury. The pelvic external fixation offers an easy and safe application. In contrast, this application also does not anatomically reduct the pelvic lesion. However, in resuscitative phase of the treatment, the life-threatening pelvic hemorrhage could be controlled by a pelvic external fixation. Some of the type B injuries are definitely treated by external fixation. However this application could not control type C pelvic injuries, when it is used alone. In this circumstance, the open reduction of the pelvic fracture might be performed on the patients for early rehabilitation by expert surgeons. A simple pelvic external fixation with low complication rates is an alternative treatment modality in the carefully selected patient with an unstable pelvic injury although it has a limited role in the definitive treatment for this injury due to reduction and stability problems.