How much blood is lost in a pelvic fracture?

Answer 1

I will try to answer it although the question could be considered very similar to "How much would a car crash cost me to repair"

The "average" "severe" pelvic fractures can bleed around 6 units of blood (pints or 473ml)

Fortunately, the more common fracture of pubic rami (common in old ladies) bleed much less, perhaps 0.5 - 2 units

A fractured femur can bleed around 3 or 4 units

Absolutely ALL fractures anywhere in the body will bleed. No exceptions. Amount varies from 4ml for a very simple finger fracture, to "bleeding to death" in pelvic fractures.

I have been involved in treating numerous cases of pelvic fractures. Despite stabilisation with external skeletal fixation frame, 4 cases of them just continued bleeding any units of blood we infuse. The blood was leaking into pelvic and abdominal cavity.

One patient stopped bleeding with a clever interventional radiologist arterial blockage, the second by laparotomy and ligating the internal iliac artery and the other 2 died despite the ligations.

Nowadays, most serious pelvic injuries are sustained in unrestrained car crashes.

I always wear my seatbelt. So you should.