Is It Beneficial to Optimize Vital Signs Before Embolization for Pelvic Fractures? A Dilemma Between Resuscitation and Hemostasis

Purpose: Adequate resuscitation and definitive hemostasis are both important in the management of hemorrhage related to pelvic fracture. The goal of this study was to analyze the relationship between the amount of blood transfused before transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) and the clinical outcome later in the disease course. Methods: Patients with pelvic fractures who underwent TAE for hemostasis from January 2018 to December 2019 were studied. The characteristics of patients who received blood transfusions of >2 U (1000 mL) and ≤2 U before TAE were compared. The mortality rate, blood transfusion-related complications, and length of stay were compared between these two groups. Results: Among the 75 studied patients, 39 (52.0%) received blood transfusions of ≤2 U before TAE, and the other 36 (48.0%) patients received blood transfusions of >2 U before TAE. The incidence rates of systemic inflammatory response syndrome, sepsis, and coagulopathy were significantly higher in the >2 U group (97.2% vs 81.1%, P =.027; 50.0% vs 27.0%, P =.045; and 44.4% vs 5.4%, P <.01, respectively). After nonsurvivors were excluded, the >2 U group had a significantly higher proportion (43.8% vs 14.7%, P <.001) of prolonged intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay (7 days or more) and a longer hospital length of stay (33.8 ± 15.1 vs 21.9 ± 94.0, P <.01) than the ≤2 U group. Pre-TAE blood transfusion >2 U serves as an independent risk factor for prolonged ICU length of stay and increased hospital length of stay. Conclusion: Early hemostasis for pelvic fracture-related hemorrhage is suggested to prevent pre-TAE blood transfusion-associated adverse effects of blood transfusion.