Bilateral internal iliac artery injury associated with pelvic trauma, treated with radiographic intervention and embolization

Abstract

Pelvic ring ruptures are a cause of great mortality and morbidity in trauma patients. The fatalities are, in general, consequence of the retroperitoneal hemorrhage and other associated damages due to the great force necessary to rip the pelvic ring. The mortality in theses cases are between 15 and 25%. The hemorrhage is usually due to the posterior pelvis venous plexus and the bony surface sponge bleedings. Less than 10% of the cases its caused by the bleeding of a known artery and in only 1% by iliac or femoral arteries. The objectives of this study is to report a case of a patient victim of a blunt trauma, with a complex pelvic fracture and hypotension by a bilateral iliac artery injury that was diagnosed and treated by interventionist radiology.