The use, timing, and priority of angioembolization in the management of bleeding pelvic fractures remain ambiguous. The most common vessels for angioembolization are, in decreasing order, the internal iliac artery and its branches, the superior gluteal artery, the obturator artery, and the internal pudendal artery. Technical success rates for this treatment option range from 74% to 100%. The fracture patterns most commonly requiring angioembolization are the Young and Burgess lateral compression and anterior-posterior compression types and Tile type C. Mortality rates after angioembolization of 16% to 50% have been reported, but deaths are usually related to concomitant injuries. The sensitivity and specificity of contrast-enhanced CT in detecting the need for angioembolization range from 60% to 90% and 92% to 100%, respectively. Angioembolization can be effective in the management of bleeding pelvic fractures, but as with any treatment, the risks of complications must be considered. Availability of angioembolization and institutional expertise/preference for the alternative strategy of pelvic packing influence its use.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.