The Utility of Clinical Examination in Screening for Pelvic Fractures in Blunt Trauma

Abstract

1) Clinical examination of the pelvis can reliably rule out significant pelvic fracture in the awake and alert blunt trauma patient. 2) The addition of routine A-P pelvic x-ray does not improve the sensitivity in diagnosis of surgically significant pelvic fractures nor does it have significant impact on outcomes of pelvic fracture patients. 3) Elevated ethanol level is not a contraindication to use of clinical examination as a screening modality for pelvic fractures in the awake and alert blunt trauma patient.