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Packaging unstable pelvic fracture — DIPIMC MCQ

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ModerateRetrieval and TransportPackaging unstable pelvic fractureDIPIMCDipIMC

You are preparing a patient with a suspected unstable pelvic fracture for transport after a fall from height, and a pelvic binder has been applied. What is the most appropriate method of packaging and moving him?

Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.

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Correct answer: D — Use a scoop with minimal handling, avoiding a log-roll

An unstable pelvic injury should be moved with techniques that minimise movement across the pelvic ring; a scoop stretcher allows the patient to be lifted with the legs kept together and slightly internally rotated, avoiding the disruption caused by log-rolling, which can dislodge clot and worsen bleeding. Traction is used for isolated femoral shaft fractures, not pelvic ring injuries, and a manual lift under the pelvis applies harmful force directly to the fracture. The binder should stay in place for transfer. Pearl: where a back examination is essential, a 15-degree tilt or scoop technique is preferred to a full log-roll in suspected pelvic instability.

Reference: NICE NG39 (Major trauma); JRCALC Clinical Guidelines