Fracture of the pelvic bones
A fracture of the pelvic bones is the most difficult injury to the musculoskeletal system. Most often, people receive such injuries as a result of the collapse of building elements on them, traffic accidents, falls from a great height, etc.
According to published (in specialized mass media) statistical data, fractures of the pelvic bones occur in 7% of cases of injuries of the musculoskeletal system. Such fractures are accompanied by characteristic symptoms, require pain relief and require emergency medical attention.
Content:
- Pelvic fracture symptoms
- Other types of pelvic fracture
- Consequences of a pelvic fracture
- First aid for a fracture of the pelvis
- How long does a pelvic fracture heal?
- Pelvic fracture treatment
- Rehabilitation after a pelvic fracture
Pelvic fracture symptoms
With fractures of the pelvic bones, patients may experience the following symptoms:
- severe pain syndrome;
- swelling;
- hematoma or hemorrhage in the area of damage;
- in the presence of moving fragments, a crunch is observed;
- traumatic shock;
- blood loss;
- damage to nerves and blood vessels in the pelvic region;
- discoloration of the skin;
- increased sweating;
- drop in blood pressure;
- heart palpitations;
- fainting;
- damage to internal organs;
- violation of the mobility of the lower limbs, etc.
Other types of pelvic fracture
Modern medicine defines several types of pelvic fractures:
- Dislocation fractures.
- Fractures that do not break the pelvic ring.
- 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 falling on the buttocks in the winter season, or while playing sports.
Symptoms of such a fracture include the following:
- strong pain;
- loss of consciousness;
- the appearance of hematoma and edema;
- development of internal bleeding, etc.
If you suspect a fracture of the ischial bone, the patient must be taken to a medical facility, where he will receive 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. 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 his usual way of life.
Pelvic pubic bone fracture
With a fracture of the pubic bone, in most cases, damage to the pelvic ring does not occur. A person can get such damage by squeezing the pelvic bones, or by hitting this area. When carrying out diagnostics, 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 appearance of the symptom of "stuck heel";
- stiffness of movement in the lower limbs;
- subcutaneous hemorrhage;
- damage to blood vessels;
- disruption of the organs located in the small pelvis, etc.
When diagnosing patients, an X-ray is required, as well as an ultrasound examination of the pelvic organs. Depending on the severity of the fracture and the patient's condition, a specialist may prescribe cystography or urethrography. During treatment, the patient is immobilized and assigned to bed rest. In the case when there was severe blood loss with such a fracture, the patients undergo a blood transfusion 2 or 3 days after the injury.
Consequences of a pelvic fracture
Patients diagnosed with a pelvic fracture can face various complications:
- against the background of traumatic compression, the development of paresthesias can be observed;
- damage to muscle tissue, nerves, blood vessels, tendons;
- development of various diseases: osteomyelitis, osteoarthritis, etc.;
- the discovery of traumatic bleeding;
- damage to the organs of the genitourinary system and intestines;
- the development of post-traumatic infection;
- improper bone fusion;
- the formation of bone growths;
- muscle atrophy or wasting, etc.
In severe cases, patients experience shortening of the limbs, there is a delay in bone tissue fusion, 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 fracture of the pelvis
In case of a fracture of the pelvic bones, the victims need to provide first aid and try to deliver them to the nearest medical institution.
The first step is to relieve pain that causes excruciating suffering to the patient. After this, the patient must be placed on a hard surface in the frog pose.
Place a pillow or roller under your bent knees. The patient must be transported 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 heal in the wrong position. This, in turn, can negatively affect the patient's later life, since he is likely to constantly have problems in the future.
Specifically, it is very difficult to name the exact time of healing of a pelvic fracture, since this process is influenced by various factors:
- 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 heal in 4-6 weeks.
Find out more: 4 phases of fracture healing
Pelvic fracture treatment
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 a medical history, after which he makes a preliminary diagnosis.
To confirm his assumptions, the specialist directs the patient for additional examination:
- radiography;
- ultrasound diagnostics;
- angiography;
- laparocentesis;
- urethrography;
- diagnostic laparoscopy;
- magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography;
- rectal examination of the pelvic area, etc.
After examining X-rays, the doctor prescribes treatment for the patient, which includes taking medications, as well as a set of surgical and physiotherapeutic measures. First of all, pain relievers are administered to patients, since they experience great suffering with such injuries. Anti-shock therapy can be carried out through the following medications: morphine, novocaine blockade, etc.
If necessary, compensation for blood loss is performed, through transfusion, plasma, glucose, saline or blood substitutes are injected into the patient. The next step in the treatment of pelvic fractures is the immobilization of patients. In the presence of bone fragments, the patient undergoes 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 the procedure for patients with skeletal traction. 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 bent state. For quick and high-quality fusion of bones, patients are advised to take the most comfortable position - a frog, in which immobilization will be performed.
If soft tissues are injured with fractures of the pelvic bones, specialists treat them with antiseptic solutions. If there is a suspicion of infection in the wound, the attending physician will prescribe antibiotic injections to patients, which will prevent possible complications.
Immobilization for pelvic fracture
For pelvic fractures, patients often need immobilization. This procedure is performed 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 available 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. Care must also be taken in order to prevent the displacement of bone fragments. The patient should be prohibited from moving the lower limbs and should be advised to take a comfortable position in which he will be taken to the medical facility.
Pelvic fracture surgery
In the event that, with fractures of the pelvic bones, displacement of their fragments is observed, specialists conduct surgical treatment for such patients. During surgery, surgeons perform bonding of parts of the damaged bone.
To do this, they use the following devices used in the medical industry:
- knitting needles;
- metal plates;
- screws, etc.
This surgical procedure is called osteosynthesis and is performed under general anesthesia. During the operation, the surgeon carefully examines the internal organs located in the pelvic region and removes any existing damage. Very often, when carrying out this type of surgery, surgeons use a percutaneous apparatus, the functions of which are to reliably fix bone fragments. With a successful operation, the patient quickly recovers and after a few months returns to normal life.
On the subject: 12 popular ways for home treatment
Rehabilitation after a pelvic fracture
Patients who have received treatment for a fracture of the pelvic bones 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 injuries of the musculoskeletal system.
Rehabilitation of this category of patients should be carried out under the supervision of a highly qualified specialist.
Individual complexes are developed for patients, 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 exercise therapy, patients should perform special exercises that prevent the development of ankylosis, contractures, etc. Daily exercise 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 with a high calcium content:
- sea and river fish;
- greens and vegetables, including cabbage;
- soy;
- milk products;
- nuts;
- green beans;
- persimmon;
- poppy and sesame;
- rose hips, etc.
Patients undergoing rehabilitation after fractures of the pelvic bones will greatly benefit from special drugs 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.
Author of the article: Kaplan Alexander Sergeevich | Orthopedist
Education: diploma in the specialty "General Medicine" received in 2009 at the Medical Academy. I. M. Sechenov. In 2012 completed postgraduate studies in Traumatology and Orthopedics at the City Clinical Hospital named after Botkin at the Department of Traumatology, Orthopedics and Disaster Surgery.
