Eur J Trauma Emerg S
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Eur J Trauma Emerg S · Apr 2010
Today's Role of External Fixation in Unstable and Complex Pelvic Fractures.
The treatment of pelvic fractures has undergone a change over the past few years. As there seems to be a trend away from external towards internal fixation, the goal of this study was to investigate whether the use of an external fixator is still a standard procedure for the initial as well as - if necessary - for the definitive treatment of complex and unstable pelvic injuries. ⋯ The use of the external fixator for the initial and in some cases for the definitive fixation of unstable and complex pelvic injuries with hemodynamic instability is still a successful treatment of multiply injured patients.
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Pelvic ring injuries form part of the spectrum of polytraumaandmust be considered a potentially lethal injury with mortality rates of 10-20%. The stabilization of the unstable pelvic ring in acute resuscitation of multiply injured patients is now conventional wisdom. We aimed: (1) to design a new iliosacral (IS) screw, (2) to prove the clinical advantages of this new implant, and (3) to work out the optimal surgical strategy using this implant. ⋯ During thelast eleven years, 244 patientswith Tile B3 and Cpelvic injuries have been stabilized with 10-mm diameter cannulated IS screws percutaneously posteriorly. Fortyeight hemodynamically unstable patientswere stabilized in the first 2 h with iliosacral screw fixation. The percutaneous pelvic ring stabilization with 10-mm cannulated screws provedstrongenoughin bothersome casesaswell.