Small Bowel Entrapment Following Pelvic Fracture: A Case Report

Abstract

Background: Due to traumatic events, patients with acetabular fractures are vulnerable to rupture of the peritoneum and abdominal hernia in the fracture site. Infection and thromboembolic events are the two most common complications of this situation.
 Case Report: In the current report, we present a 63 year-old woman with a traffic accident that was diagnosed with multiple fractures of posterior and anterior walls and anterior column of the right acetabulum associated with femoral head protrusion to the fracture site. Furthermore, the right posterior iliac wing fracture and mild subluxation of the right sacroiliac (SI) joint were observed in the pelvic computed tomography (CT) scan. During the Stoppa surgical approach, small intestine penetration and peritoneum were observed and immediately treated by the surgical team. Our case was later diagnosed with pulmonary thromboembolism and recovered successfully, and no infectious complications were observed.
 Conclusion: We suggest that bowel entrapment be considered in blunt traumatic events, and antibiotics and anti-coagulants be used in similar cases.