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How We Can Help You for Pelvic Fractures

The board-certified doctors on the orthopaedic trauma team of Stanford Health Care have the specialized training and extensive experience needed to skillfully treat pelvic fractures. This condition usually results from a high-impact accident like a car crash. In older people with osteoporosis, pelvic fractures can result from a minor fall.

Our skilled specialists work closely together to develop a complete care plan customized to your condition and unique needs. The goal of the plan is to help relieve your symptoms, which may include pain, tingling and numbness, weakness, and immobility.

In addition to relieving symptoms, your personalized care plan is designed to help repair even the most complex fractures so you can enjoy the most active lifestyle possible.

Stanford Health Care patients with pelvic fractures also may have opportunities to participate in research studies of new treatment approaches not yet available anywhere else.

 

What We Offer You For Pelvic Fractures

  • Center of Excellence for advanced care of pelvic fractures and the full spectrum of orthopaedic conditions.
  • Nationally recognized expertise in treating all cases of pelvic fractures, no matter how complex.
  • Precise diagnosis including a thorough physical exam plus use of the latest imaging technology such as computerized tomography (CT) scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans.
  • Team-based treatment planning that brings together orthopaedic surgeons, physical therapists, and other specialists to tailor care to your needs.
  • Advanced treatment options emphasizing nonsurgical approaches such as medication therapy, physical therapy, and crutches and walkers. When needed, we also offer minimally invasive surgical procedures performed by highly skilled orthopaedic surgeons.
  • Comprehensive support services including care coordination from diagnosis to treatment to follow-up.
  • Active research program to develop new diagnostic and treatment advances for the management of pelvic fractures.

Treatment for Pelvic Fractures

Pelvic bones can break in many patterns and directions. The specialized treatment for your pelvic fracture depends on the type of break and position of the bone fragments. Our distinguished orthopaedic trauma team works with you on the best treatment plan for your needs and goals.

Pelvic fractures usually result from a high-impact accident, so doctors handle critical injuries (like internal bleeding) before treating the break. In adults with osteoporosis, which causes bones to break easily, pelvic fractures can result from a minor fall.

If bone fragments haven’t shifted from their natural position, your doctor may recommend rest, walking aids, and physical therapy. Most pelvic fractures require surgery to restore bones to their proper alignment and stabilize the pelvis. Stanford Health Care’s orthopaedic surgeons treat pelvic fractures, from minor breaks to serious injuries, with experience and skill.

We treat pelvic fractures using in-depth knowledge, experience, and proven surgical techniques that can repair even the most complex injuries.

 

Nonsurgical Treatments

Surgical Treatments

 

Treatment for a pelvic fracture depends on its severity and whether bone fragments are displaced (they don’t line up properly). If the bones are not displaced, your doctor may recommend:

Medications: Your doctor may prescribe medication to relieve pain and reduce swelling. An anticoagulant medication (blood thinner) can reduce the risk of blood clots. Blood clots form in leg veins that are damaged in an injury. 

Crutches, walkers, and canes: To avoid putting weight on broken bones, your doctor may recommend using a walking aid. Walking with a cane, walker, or crutches will give your bones time to heal. You may need to use a walking aid for two to three months.

Wheelchair: If you have fractures on both sides of the pelvis, your doctor may recommend using a wheelchair so you can avoid putting weight on your legs. The amount of time you use a wheelchair will depend on how long your bones need to heal.

Physical therapy: A customized physical therapy program will help you strengthen your muscles and increase your range of motion. Stronger muscles in the pelvic area can better support your pelvis as you start moving again. Stanford’s experienced team of physical therapists has advanced training treating all types of pelvic fractures.

If the pelvic bones are displaced after a fracture, you may need surgery. The type of surgery your doctor recommends will depend on the pattern and severity of the break. Your surgeon will also consider the alignment of the bone fragments. Surgical procedures include:

External fixation: To stabilize the pelvis, your surgeon inserts metal screws (or pins) into your pelvic bones and secures them to an external carbon fiber frame (outside your body). The frame holds your bones in the proper position so they can heal. The amount of time you wear the frame depends on the severity of your injury. It also depends on whether you need another surgery after the bones heal.

Open reduction and internal fixation: During this surgery, doctors move the bones back to their original position. The surgeons attach screws or metal plates to the bones to keep them in place and promote healing.

After surgery, our experienced physical therapists work with you to create a customized physical therapy program. Physical therapy helps you regain mobility and strengthen your muscles so they can support your pelvis.

Nonsurgical Treatments

Treatment for a pelvic fracture depends on its severity and whether bone fragments are displaced (they don’t line up properly). If the bones are not displaced, your doctor may recommend:

Medications: Your doctor may prescribe medication to relieve pain and reduce swelling. An anticoagulant medication (blood thinner) can reduce the risk of blood clots. Blood clots form in leg veins that are damaged in an injury. 

Crutches, walkers, and canes: To avoid putting weight on broken bones, your doctor may recommend using a walking aid. Walking with a cane, walker, or crutches will give your bones time to heal. You may need to use a walking aid for two to three months.

Wheelchair: If you have fractures on both sides of the pelvis, your doctor may recommend using a wheelchair so you can avoid putting weight on your legs. The amount of time you use a wheelchair will depend on how long your bones need to heal.

Physical therapy: A customized physical therapy program will help you strengthen your muscles and increase your range of motion. Stronger muscles in the pelvic area can better support your pelvis as you start moving again. Stanford’s experienced team of physical therapists has advanced training treating all types of pelvic fractures.


close Nonsurgical Treatments
Surgical Treatments

If the pelvic bones are displaced after a fracture, you may need surgery. The type of surgery your doctor recommends will depend on the pattern and severity of the break. Your surgeon will also consider the alignment of the bone fragments. Surgical procedures include:

External fixation: To stabilize the pelvis, your surgeon inserts metal screws (or pins) into your pelvic bones and secures them to an external carbon fiber frame (outside your body). The frame holds your bones in the proper position so they can heal. The amount of time you wear the frame depends on the severity of your injury. It also depends on whether you need another surgery after the bones heal.

Open reduction and internal fixation: During this surgery, doctors move the bones back to their original position. The surgeons attach screws or metal plates to the bones to keep them in place and promote healing.

After surgery, our experienced physical therapists work with you to create a customized physical therapy program. Physical therapy helps you regain mobility and strengthen your muscles so they can support your pelvis.


close Surgical Treatments

INTERESTED IN AN ONLINE SECOND OPINION?

The Stanford Medicine Online Second Opinion program offers you easy access to our world-class doctors. It’s all done remotely, and you don’t have to visit our hospital or one of our clinics for this service. You don’t even need to leave home!

Visit our online second opinion page to learn more.

Clinical Trials

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Open Clinical Trials

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Clinical trials are research studies that evaluate a new medical approach, device, drug, or other treatment. As a Stanford Health Care patient, you may be eligible to participate in open clinical trials.

Open trials refer to studies that are currently recruiting participants or that may recruit participants in the near future.

Closed trials are not currently enrolling, but may open in the future.

What are Pelvic Fractures?

Types of Pelvic Fractures

The sacrum, coccyx, and hip bones in the pelvic ring can break in many different patterns and directions, including top to bottom, diagonally, and in a T shape. Doctors often refer to the pattern of the break when describing a pelvic fracture. They also classify pelvic fractures according to the position (alignment) of the bone fragments.

The types of pelvic fractures include:

  • Acetabular fracture: The acetabulum is the concave socket of the ball-and-socket hip joint. Hip dislocations often happen with acetabular fractures because the broken socket cannot hold in place the rounded end of the femur (the long thighbone). Doctors repair most acetabular fractures with surgery to stabilize the hip joint. Positioning aids like an abduction pillow can help during recovery.
  • Open: This type of fracture happens when a bone fragment sticks through the skin, increasing the risk of infection. Open fractures result from high-impact, traumatic accidents. They must be treated right away to avoid infection and other complications.
  • Closed: The bone breaks but does not pierce the skin in a closed fracture.
  • Stable: A stable fracture happens when the pelvis has a clean break and the broken bones are not out of place. This type of fracture happens more often in low-impact accidents, especially in older people with osteoporosis.
  • Unstable: An unstable fracture means that bones have multiple breaks and shift out of their original position. As a result, they do not line up properly (bones are displaced). Big gaps may exist between fragments, or they may overlap each other.
  • Avulsion: In rare cases, an avulsion fracture happens when a piece of pelvic bone tears away from the hamstring muscle tendon. The hamstring is the long muscle in the back of your leg. Avulsion fractures tend to happen in children and teenagers who are active in sports.

Our Clinics

Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine in Redwood City

At the Orthopaedic Trauma Service at Stanford Health Care, we offer comprehensive, leading-edge medical treatment for patients with acute and chronic injuries of the musculoskeletal system. Our doctors are experts in treating a range of traumatic injuries, including pelvic fractures.

Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine in Redwood City
450 Broadway Street
 Redwood City, CA 94063
Phone: 650-723-5643 Getting Here
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