Abstract
Injuries of the pelvic ring or the acetabulum are either to be found in young patients
with high energy trauma mechanisms or in geriatric patients after simple falls with
very low impact energy. The indication for surgical stabilization is given by the
grade of instability. Exact knowledge of the different possible surgical approaches
is essential for the planning of the surgical treatment. Both, knowledge of reachable
anatomical structures and possible risks of the different approaches are important.
In this review, we summarize the standard surgical approaches to the pelvic ring and
to the acetabulum. We describe the reachable anatomical structures for each approach,
approach-related pitfalls, and we focus on strategies to reduce approach-related complications.
Key words
pelvis - symphysis - sacrum - corona mortis - osteoporosis
