profession, people, healthcare, reanimation and medicine concept - medics or doctors carrying unconscious woman patient on hospital gurney to emergency room
You are assessing a 37-year-old male patient with an anterior-posterior compression (APC) type-2 pelvic ring injury. The injury has been stabilized with a pelvic external fixator and the patient is hemodynamically stable 3 days posttrauma. Which of the following is the definitive management of the patient’s pelvic injury?
Anterior symphyseal plating with or without posterior stabilization
APC type-2 injuries are defined by anterior diastasis of >2.5 cm and anterior sacroiliac joint widening, and require anterior stabilization with possible posterior stabilization
Allow the patient to bear weight as tolerated
Displacement of the pubic symphysis with >2.5 cm diastasis is an indication for operative stabilization
Protected weight-bearing
APC type-1 or lateral compression type-1 injuries can be treated nonoperatively with protected weight-bearing due to the low likelihood of further displacement
Posterior stabilization with plate alone
Vertical shear injuries are unstable with complete disruption of all ligamentous supporting structures and require operative stabilization of anterior and posterior injuries with a possible posterior plate
