Penetrating wounds of the pelvis.

While penetrating wounds of the abdomen may selectively be managed conservatively in the absence of clinical signs or symptoms, we believe that in similar injuries of the pelvic area, exploration is mandatory. Regardless of their clinical presentation, 38 consecutive patients with penetrating injury to the pelvis had exploration, which yielded positive findings in 37 (97%). Furthermore, the incidence of vascular injuries, especially in the presence of shock, was 82% (nine patients), with an associated mortality of 63% (seven patients). These data indicate that, in some cases, undue delay may be life-threatening.