Stabilisierung instabiler Beckenfrakturen mittels pneumatischer Beckenschlinge im Schockraum

Epidemiologic, Postmortem Computed Tomography-Morphologic and Biomechanical Analysis of the Effects of Non-Invasive External Pelvic Stabilizers in Genuine Unstable Pelvic Injuries

Unstable pelvic injuries are rare (3–8% of all fractures) but are associated with a mortality of up to 30%. An effective way to treat venous and cancellous sources of bleeding prehospital is to reduce intrapelvic volume with external noninvasive pelvic stabilizers. Scientifically reliable data regarding pelvic volume reduction and applicable pressure are lacking. Epidemiologic data were collected, and multiple post-mortem CT scans and biomechanical measurements were performed on real, unstable pelvic injuries. Unstable pelvic injury was shown to be the leading source of bleeding in only 19%. All external non-invasive pelvic stabilizers achieved intrapelvic volume reduction; the T-POD^® succeeded best on average (333 ± 234 cm³), but with higher average peak traction (110 N). The reduction results of the VBM^® pneumatic pelvic sling consistently showed significantly better results at a pressure of 200 mmHg than at 100 mmHg at similar peak traction forces. All pelvic stabilizers exhibited the highest peak tensile force shortly after application. Unstable pelvic injuries must be considered as an indicator of serious concomitant injuries. Stabilization should be performed prehospital with specific pelvic stabilizers, such as the T-POD^® or the VBM^® pneumatic pelvic sling. We recommend adjusting the pressure recommendation of the VBM^® pneumatic pelvic sling to 200 mmHg.

[Treatment of polytrauma in the intensive care unit]

The treatment of severely injured trauma patients (polytrauma) is one of the outstanding challenges in medical care. Early in the initial course the patient's diagnostics have to be scrupulously reevaluated by an interdisciplinary team (tertiary trauma survey) to reduce deleterious sequelae of missed injuries after the initial assessment. Severely injured patients stay in intensive care for an average of 11 days. During this time the patient's therapy has to ensure a high quality evidence-based intensive care treatment and simultaneously has to be tailored to the current individual injuries. Because of the fact that the damage control strategy is gaining increasing acceptance, the intensive care unit plays a pivotal role in the critical time between emergency and elective surgery. Therefore a close cooperation between physicians of the intensive care unit and all surgical disciplines involved is essential to reach the aim of therapeutic efforts. After survival of emergency treatment patients with severe trauma should be reintegrated into social and occupational life as soon as possible.