This guideline covers assessing and managing pelvic fractures, open fractures and severe ankle fractures (known as pilon fractures and intra-articular distal tibia fractures) in pre-hospital settings (including ambulance services), emergency departments and major trauma centres.
Fractures (complex): assessment and management aims to reduce deaths and long-term health problems by improving the quality of emergency and urgent care. NHS England’s clinical reference group (CRG) produces the service specification for major trauma. The CRG intends to consider the NICE guidelines on major trauma, major trauma: service delivery, spinal injury and complex fractures in future updates to the service specification which are planned for 2017.
The guideline should be read alongside the NICE guidelines on major trauma, major trauma: service delivery, spinal injury and fractures (non-complex).
Recommendations
This guideline includes recommendations on:
- managing pelvic fractures and open fractures in pre-hospital settings
- destination for people with suspected fractures
- assessing and managing vascular injury in hospital settings
- managing pelvic fractures and open fractures in hospital settings
- management of pilon and intra-articular distal tibia fractures in hospital settings
- documentation, and information and support for patients, family members and carers
Who is it for?
- Healthcare professionals and practitioners who provide care for people with complex fractures in pre-hospital and hospital settings
- People with complex fractures, their families and carers