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Pelvic fracture – This is the most complex damage to the musculoskeletal system. Most often, people get such injuries due to the collapse of building elements on them, traffic accidents, falls from a great height, etc.
According to published (in the specialized media) statistics, pelvic fracture occurs in 7% of cases of damage to the musculoskeletal system. Such fractures are accompanied by characteristic symptoms, require anesthesia and require emergency medical care.
Symptoms of a pelvic fracture
Patients with pelvic fractures may experience the following symptoms:
severe pain syndrome;
swelling;
hematoma or hemorrhage in the area of damage;
in the presence of mobile fragments, a crunch is observed;
traumatic shock;
blood loss;
damage to nerves and blood vessels in the pelvic area;
change in skin color;
increased sweating;
drop in blood pressure;
cardiopalmus;
fainting;
damage to internal organs;
impaired mobility of the lower extremities, etc.
Other types of pelvic fracture
Modern medicine defines several types of pelvic fractures:
Fracture dislocations.
Fractures in which the pelvic ring is not broken.
Fractures that break the pelvic ring (unstable)
Fractures in which the bottom of the acetabulum or its edge breaks.
Fracture of the ischium of the pelvis
The main cause of a fracture of the ischium of the pelvis is a strong physical impact on this area. People can get such damage when they fall on their buttocks in the winter season, or while playing sports.
Symptoms of such a fracture include the following:
severe pain;
loss of consciousness;
the appearance of hematoma and edema;
development of internal bleeding, etc.
If a fracture of the ischial bone is suspected, the patient must be taken to a medical facility where he will be given emergency care. To make an accurate diagnosis, patients are prescribed x-rays, thanks to which it will be possible to determine the type of fracture and the presence of internal injuries. The treatment of such an injury occurs within 4 weeks (the patient at this time must comply with bed rest). After undergoing rehabilitation, which takes 2-3 weeks, the patient will be able to return to their usual way of life.
Fracture of the pubic bone of the pelvis
With a fracture of the pubic bone, in most cases there is no damage to the pelvic ring. A person can get such damage when squeezing the pelvic bones, or when hitting this area. During the diagnosis, the doctor collects an anamnesis of the disease, and also prescribes a number of diagnostic measures.
Without fail, the specialist takes into account the symptoms that are observed in the patient:
pain syndrome;
swelling;
the occurrence of the symptom of “stuck heel”;
stiffness of movements in the lower extremities;
subcutaneous hemorrhage;
damage to blood vessels;
disruption of the organs located in the small pelvis, etc.
When diagnosing, patients must undergo x-rays, as well as ultrasound examination of the pelvic organs. Depending on the severity of the fracture and the condition of the patient, a specialist may prescribe cystography or urethrography. During treatment, the patient is immobilized and bed rest is prescribed. In the case when there was severe blood loss with such a fracture, patients undergo a blood transfusion on the 2nd or 3rd day after the injury.
Consequences of a pelvic fracture
Patients diagnosed with a pelvic fracture may experience various complications:
against the background of traumatic compression, the development of paresthesias can be observed;
damage to muscle tissue, nerves, blood vessels, tendons;
the development of various diseases: osteomyelitis, osteoarthritis, etc.;
discovery of traumatic bleeding;
damage to the organs of the genitourinary system and intestines;
development of post-traumatic infection;
improper fusion of bones;
the formation of bone growths;
atrophy or hypotrophy of muscles, etc.
In severe cases, patients experience shortening of the limbs, a delay in the fusion of bone tissue, partial or complete loss of mobility. According to statistics, mortality from late complications among patients who survived the first days after injury does not exceed 5%.
First aid for a pelvic fracture
In case of a fracture of the pelvic bones, the victims must be given first aid and try to deliver them to the nearest medical facility.
First of all, it is necessary to relieve the pain that causes excruciating suffering to the patient. After this, the patient should be placed on a hard surface in the frog position.
Place a pillow or cushion under bent knees. Transportation of the patient must be carried out very carefully, since immobilization is impossible under such conditions.
How long does a pelvic fracture heal?
The human body independently copes with the fusion of damaged pelvic bones. If a pelvic fracture was treated incorrectly, or the patient did not follow all the prescriptions of specialists, his bones may grow together in the wrong position. This, in turn, can negatively affect the patient’s future life, since he will most likely constantly have problems in the future.
Specifically, it is very difficult to name the exact period of healing of a pelvic fracture, since various factors influence this process:
bone type;
the location of the fracture;
the level of blood supply to the damaged bone;
abuse of bad habits, etc.
With timely treatment, the pelvic bones can grow together in 4-6 weeks.
Treatment of a pelvic fracture
After contacting the victim in a medical institution, a narrow-profile specialist conducts his personal examination, during which he palpates the area of damage. In parallel, the doctor collects an anamnesis of the disease, after which he makes a preliminary diagnosis.
To confirm his assumptions, the specialist sends the patient for an additional examination:
X-ray;
ultrasound diagnostics;
angiography;
laparocentesis;
urethrography;
diagnostic laparoscopy;
magnetic resonance or computed tomography;
rectal examination of the pelvis, etc.
After examining the x-rays, the doctor prescribes a treatment for the patient, which involves taking medications, as well as a complex of surgical and physiotherapeutic measures. First of all, painkillers are administered to patients, since with such injuries they experience severe suffering. Antishock therapy can be carried out using the following medications: morphine, novocaine blockade, etc.
If necessary, compensation for blood loss is performed, by transfusion, patients are given plasma, glucose, saline or blood substitutes. The next step in the treatment of pelvic fractures is the immobilization of patients. In the case of the presence of bone fragments, patients undergo a surgical intervention, the purpose of which is to fix them.
In case of fractures of the pelvic bones, with a violation of the pelvic ring, specialists carry out a skeletal traction procedure for patients. Treatment of marginal or isolated fractures involves fixing patients in a hammock or on a shield. Rollers are placed in the popliteal region so that the patient’s legs are in a half-bent state. For fast and high-quality fusion of bones, patients are recommended to take the most comfortable position – a frog, in which immobilization will be performed.
If soft tissues are injured during pelvic fractures, specialists treat them with antiseptic solutions. If there is suspicion of infection entering the wound, the attending physician prescribes antibiotic injections to patients, which will prevent possible complications.
Immobilization for pelvic fracture
Patients with pelvic fractures often require immobilization. This procedure is carried out in order to prevent the displacement of bone fragments, which can seriously injure muscle tissue, blood vessels, nerves and nearby internal organs.
Immobilization can be carried out using any improvised means, if it is not possible to use a medical splint:
sticks;
skiing;
a piece of thick cardboard;
boards;
bandages, gauze, pieces of cloth, etc.
When immobilizing the victim, extreme caution should be exercised, since any awkward movement can cause him severe pain, from which some lose consciousness. Caution must also be observed in order to prevent the displacement of bone fragments. The patient should be prohibited from moving the lower limbs and advised to take a comfortable position in which he will be taken to a medical facility.
Surgery for a pelvic fracture
In the case when, in case of fractures of the pelvic bones, a displacement of their fragments is observed, specialists perform surgical treatment for such patients. During surgery, surgeons perform the fastening of parts of the damaged bone.
To do this, they use the following devices used in the medical industry:
spokes;
metal plates;
screws, etc.
This surgical manipulation is called osteosynthesis and is performed under general anesthesia. During the operation, the surgeon carefully examines the internal organs located in the pelvic area and eliminates all existing damage. Very often, when performing this type of surgery, surgeons use a percutaneous apparatus, the functions of which are to securely fix bone fragments. With a successful operation, the patient quickly recovers and after a few months returns to normal life.
Rehabilitation after a pelvic fracture
Patients who have been treated for a pelvic fracture should undergo a course of rehabilitation measures. Their passage is a prerequisite for returning patients to a normal lifestyle and preventing disability, since fractures in this area are characterized as the most severe damage to the musculoskeletal system.
Rehabilitation of this category of patients should be carried out under the supervision of a highly qualified specialist.
For patients, individual complexes are developed, which include the following activities:
physiotherapy exercises;
taking special medications that help strengthen bone tissue, and also nourish them with collagen;
the use of special ointments, creams and gels;
massotherapy;
physiotherapy;
therapeutic traction;
cryomassage, etc.
During physiotherapy exercises, patients should perform special exercises that prevent the development of ankylosis, contractures, etc. Daily performance of a set of exercises will keep the muscles in good shape, preventing their atrophy.
When undergoing rehabilitation, patients must follow the correct diet and eat foods high in calcium:
sea and river fish;
greens and vegetables, including cabbage;
slaughter;
dairy;
nuts;
string beans;
persimmon;
poppy and sesame;
rose hips, etc.
Patients undergoing rehabilitation after pelvic fractures will benefit greatly from special preparations that help restore the functioning of the musculoskeletal system. It is also recommended to take walks in the fresh air, the duration of which should be increased gradually.