title: Definitive use of external fixation for pelvic ring injuries (open book/APC2) in pregnancy.
abstract: Pelvic fractures in pregnancy are rare, resulting in a paucity of evidence-based management. We describe a case of open book pelvic injury in a 32-year-old woman in her third trimester of pregnancy. She was successfully managed with a supra-acetabular external fixator, which allowed the safe delivery of a healthy baby boy at 34 weeks, via caesarean section. The external fixator was removed postpartum, when the pelvis was deemed stable, and mother and baby both continue to do well. This is the only case in the literature that demonstrates the successful use of external fixation for pelvic injuries in pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: NHS FT, Cambridge University, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Stohlner
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Peterborough City Hospital, Peterborough, UK.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Gill
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS FT NHS, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, UK.
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS FT NHS, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, UK.
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Carrothers
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002585:Cesarean Section; D016267:External Fixators; D005260:Female; D005592:Fracture Fixation / Q000379:methods*; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010384:Pelvic Bones / Q000293:injuries*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000601:surgery*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third