THE PEL VIS

THE PEL VIS

Although mortality following severe pelvic fractures has decreased dramatically with better methods of controlling haemorrhage, these patients still represent a significant challenge to every link of the treatment chain. Mortality rates exceeding 40% have recently been reported. Further, pelvic bleeding as one of the ‘hidden bleeding sources’ is still underestimated or missed, as retrospective chart analyses of potentially preventable deaths have revealed. Extreme force is required to disrupt the pelvic ring, and associated injuries and extrapelvic bleeding sources are common (up to 50% of cases). The haemodynamically unstable patient with severe pelvic fracture has a 90% risk of associated injuries and a 30% risk of intra-abdominal bleeding. To save these patients, three questions need to be addressed: /uni25CF Is the patient at high risk of massive bleeding? /uni25CF Where is the source of the bleeding? /uni25CF How to stop the bleeding? THE PEL VIS

Although mortality following severe pelvic fractures has decreased dramatically with better methods of controlling haemorrhage, these patients still represent a significant challenge to every link of the treatment chain. Mortality rates exceeding 40% have recently been reported. Further, pelvic bleeding as one of the ‘hidden bleeding sources’ is still underestimated or missed, as retrospective chart analyses of potentially preventable deaths have revealed. Extreme force is required to disrupt the pelvic ring, and associated injuries and extrapelvic bleeding sources are common (up to 50% of cases). The haemodynamically unstable patient with severe pelvic fracture has a 90% risk of associated injuries and a 30% risk of intra-abdominal bleeding. To save these patients, three questions need to be addressed: /uni25CF Is the patient at high risk of massive bleeding? /uni25CF Where is the source of the bleeding? /uni25CF How to stop the bleeding? THE PEL VIS

Although mortality following severe pelvic fractures has decreased dramatically with better methods of controlling haemorrhage, these patients still represent a significant challenge to every link of the treatment chain. Mortality rates exceeding 40% have recently been reported. Further, pelvic bleeding as one of the ‘hidden bleeding sources’ is still underestimated or missed, as retrospective chart analyses of potentially preventable deaths have revealed. Extreme force is required to disrupt the pelvic ring, and associated injuries and extrapelvic bleeding sources are common (up to 50% of cases). The haemodynamically unstable patient with severe pelvic fracture has a 90% risk of associated injuries and a 30% risk of intra-abdominal bleeding. To save these patients, three questions need to be addressed: /uni25CF Is the patient at high risk of massive bleeding? /uni25CF Where is the source of the bleeding? /uni25CF How to stop the bleeding?