1. Pelvic splinting in trauma

2. Pelvic splinting in trauma
What does the evidence suggest?
Do current prehospital guidelines correlate with
recommended ‘best practice’?

4. Ambulance crews often attend incidents that
carry a high index of suspicion for pelvic
fracture - a life threatening injury

5. Pelvic fractures can kill !
6 pints of blood can be
lost into the pelvic cavity
very quickly after a pelvic
fracture

6. Pelvic fractures can kill !
6 pints of blood can be
lost into the pelvic cavity
very quickly after a pelvic
fracture
Could appropriate management at the scene minimise
catastrophic haemorrhage?
What is considered to be current best practice?

7. Existing prehospital management
What guidelines currently exist for prehospital
management of pelvic trauma?

8. Existing prehospital management
What guidelines currently exist for prehospital
management of pelvic trauma?
•JRCALC Guidelines (2008 update)

9. Existing prehospital management
What guidelines currently exist for prehospital
management of pelvic trauma?
•JRCALC Guidelines (2008 update)
•SCAS NHS Trust guidelines (clinical directive 2008)

10. Existing prehospital management
What guidelines currently exist for prehospital
management of pelvic trauma?
•JRCALC Guidelines (2008 update)
•SCAS NHS Trust guidelines (clinical directive 2008)
These guidelines both suggest that a commercial pelvic
splint should be used

11. Existing prehospital management

12. Existing prehospital management
So in the absence of splinting devices in the
SCAS area, what do clinicians do now?

13. Existing prehospital management
So in the absence of splinting devices in the
SCAS area, what do clinicians do now?
Upside-down KED?
?

14. Existing prehospital management
So in the absence of splinting devices in the
SCAS area, what do clinicians do now?

15. Existing prehospital management
So in the absence of splinting devices in the
SCAS area, what do clinicians do now?
Use a sheet or canvas?
+
=
?

16. Existing prehospital management
So in the absence of splinting devices in the
SCAS area, what do clinicians do now?

17. Existing prehospital management
So in the absence of splinting devices in the
SCAS area, what do clinicians do now?
Nothing at all and hope for the best??
?

18. Existing prehospital management
...And are commercial splints that much
better?

19. Existing prehospital management
...And are commercial splints that much
better?

20. Thank you
- Any questions?