ABSTRACT
The emergency surgical management of patients with mechanically unstable pelvic
injuries and hypovolemic shock begins in the emergency room. Advanced trauma life-
support teaching is now widely applied (9). Shock recognition is followed by search for
the source of hemorrhage while volume resuscitation is initiated. Clues to the nature of
pelvic injuries are obtained from the history of injury (e.g., a fall from a height or a
motorcyclist sustaining a straddle injury) and physical examination.
