Who should consider pelvic fracture surgery?
Patients with unstable and displaced pelvic ring disruptions should strongly consider surgical realignment and stabilization. The decision to have surgery should be discussed by the patient and physician. What happens without surgery? If nothing is done, the fracture fragments may not heal for a variety of reasons, and may cause a painful nonunion. If union occurs in a displaced location (malunion), chronic pain may result due to leg length inequality and compensatory scoliosis, among other problems. If the pelvic fracture heals in a good location, the patient may have few symptoms as a result. Surgical options Pelvic external fixation consists of pins usually inserted into the iliac bones and then connected together by clamps and bars. Internal fixation refers to plates and screws applied directly onto the fracture sites after realignment. Combinations of both techniques are frequently chosen for certain fracture patterns. Effectiveness The procedure is effective when excellent realig
