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Pelvic Trauma

What Is Pelvic Trauma?

The pelvis is a set of bones that protects your bladder, bowels, sexual reproductive organs, and blood vessels and nerves that extend to your legs. Pelvic trauma can occur if you experience strong impact to the area, such as during a car wreck, motorcycle or bicycle accident, fall or getting hit by a car as a pedestrian. All of these traumas can cause injury to the pelvic bones, including fractures.

Because the pelvis is shaped like a pretzel, when one part of the pelvic area is fractured, it is likely that you will have a fracture in another area of the pelvis as well. Your doctor will review your X-rays to determine where you have additional fractures.

Symptoms

The symptoms of pelvic trauma can vary depending on what caused the injury. They can include:

  • Bleeding

  • Constipation

  • Erectile dysfunction (men)

  • Pain related to fractures, bruised muscles or damaged nerves

  • Pain during sexual intercourse (women)

Treatment Options

Treatment for pelvic trauma depends on the extent and location of your injury. If you have any bleeding related to pelvic trauma, your surgeon will address that issue first. If you have pelvic fractures, they may be treated as follows using robotic or traditional surgery.

  • Superior and inferior pubic rami (the bones on which we sit) fractures typically do not require surgery.

  • Hip socket, or acetabulum, fractures may require surgery to stabilize the joint so it can hold the femur (leg) bone in place.

  • Iliac wing (which attach your pelvis to the lowest part of your spine) fractures do not require surgery in most cases.

  • Sacrum, or the lowest part of the spine, fracture may require surgery. A fracture in this area can cause an “unstable” pelvis.

Some pelvic fractures can be life-threatening because they can damage the nearby organs, nerves and blood vessels. Your doctor will carefully examine you and your scans to determine the right approach to treatment.

Ready for an Appointment?

If you're experiencing signs or symptoms of pelvic trauma, schedule an appointment or call 800-TEMPLE-MED (800-836-7536) today.

Learn more about our doctors and care team who diagnose and treat pelvic trauma.