The mortality of patients with minor fractures of the pelvis.

This simple study was undertaken because clinical audit revealed that several patients died from sudden massive pulmonary embolism following minor fractures of the pelvis. It is well known that pulmonary embolisms may complicate a major fracture of the pelvis, but so far no study has looked at the incidence of fatal pulmonary embolism after minor fractures. This survey, therefore, is a retrospective survey of 50 consecutive patients with a minor fracture of the pelvis, of whom seven died. In five patients the cause of death was a massive pulmonary embolus, and this occurred despite the fact that all patients were up and about as soon as pain permitted.