Pelvic fractures often occur in Chicago car accidents. The pelvis is in a vulnerable position in a car crash. The seatbelt sits on the top of the pelvis and the force applied against the seatbelt by the body can cause the bones of the pelvis to break or fracture. Additionally, people seated in the front seat during a head-on crash are subject to pelvic fractures. The victim’s leg bones can get jammed into the pelvic bone, causing a break. Also, the collapsing dashboard or even parts of the other car can crush the pelvis.
Similarly, when people are in a T-bone crash, they are at risk for a pelvic fracture. The focal point of the accident will be at the person’s midsection. The forces applied to the pelvic region will yield to the power of another vehicle in a collision.
Pelvic breaks might not be visible. Although, in an accident severe enough to cause a pelvic fracture, it is highly likely that the victim will have other injuries as well as necessitating emergency transport to a hospital. However, if conscious and alert, an accident victim might not be able to walk, sense intense or excruciating pain in the midsection, hips, and groin, experience bleeding while urinating or defecating, or difficulty going to the bathroom.
Doctors diagnose pelvic fractures through diagnostic imaging. X-rays, MRIs, and CT-scans, might be used to allow the doctor to confirm the fracture but to observe the extent of the injury. Taking a radiograph will also permit the doctor to ascertain the safest and most efficient method of injury repair.
Pelvic fractures can be challenging to repair, mostly due to the location of the injury. There is no way to cast a pelvis; thus doctors will order patients to bed rest and prescribe anti-inflammatory medicines. In many cases, an orthopedic surgeon might need to repair the damage using hardware such as plates, rods, and screws to fuse the bones back together.
