Tips and Tricks for Handling Pelvic Fractures

Pelvic and acetabular fractures represent a challenge for orthopedic surgeons, from the acute treatment to the long-term consequences. The frequently associated lesions of high-energy traumas, the complexity of the anatomical district involved, the difficulties in surgical exposures and reduction and fixation techniques make the management of pelvic and acetabular fractures a never-ending field of research that needs to be periodically updated. Even if the milestones enounced by the fathers of the discipline like Judet, Letournel, Tile and others are still a firm and essential guidance, some new approaches, less invasive techniques, more performing hardwares and refined management protocols are nowadays modern acknowledged expertises and are intended to be summed up in this book. Pelvic and abdominal trauma has been widely studied for its high mortality and morbidity rates. In the last few years outstanding improvements of the outcomes have been made; one of the goals of the publication is to offer state of the art management of such lesions. Moreover, in every chapter a distinguished surgeon discusses the basic techniques, their modifications and the new trends for the treatment of pelvic and acetabular fractures. This book will show how surgical exposures have been refined in recent years to be less invasive and more effective. For example, the great success of the modified Stoppa approach, or anterior intrapelvic approach, has widely redefined the indications for one approach rather than the other, as historically established. Another remarkable trend in pelvic and acetabular surgery is the adoption of percutaneous and mini-invasive techniques that have been developed together with the employment of new imaging and guidance technologies. The aim of this book is to be a guide for the growth of less experienced surgeons, and at the same time a valuable updated compendium for the specialists.