Abstract
Within the past 15 years, significant advances in the imaging of multiorgan and complex
trauma primarily due to the improvement of cross-sectional imaging have resulted in
the optimization of the expedient diagnosis and management of the polytrauma patient.
At the forefront, multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) has become the cornerstone
of modern emergency departments and trauma centers. In many institutions, MDCT is
the de facto diagnostic tool upon trauma activation. In the setting of pelvic imaging,
MDCT (with its high spatial resolution and sensitivity as well as short acquisition
times) allows for rapid identification and assessment of pelvic hemorrhage leading
to faster triage and definitive management. In trauma centers throughout the world,
angiography and minimally invasive catheter-based embolization techniques performed
by interventional radiologists have become the standard of care for patients with
acute pelvic trauma and related multiorgan hemorrhage. In an interdisciplinary setting,
embolization may be performed either alone or as an adjunct procedure with open or
closed reduction and stabilization techniques. A team-based approach involving multiple
disciplines (e.g., radiology, traumatology, orthopedic surgery, intensive care medicine)
is crucial to monitor and treat the actively bleeding patient appropriately.
Keywords
bleeding - fracture - pelvic - embolization - intervention
