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Wheeless' Textbook of Orthopaedics
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APC III





- Discusison:
    - w/ application of severe AP force, hemipelvis rotates externally until
            posterior iliac wing contacts posteior sacrum;
    - continued force rips posterior SI ligaments, completely dissconecting
            hemipelvis from the sacrum;
    - APC III have highest rate of assoc injury, including retroperitoneal bleeding;
    - by definition then, an APC III injury shows destruction of all the
          ligamentous constraints connecting the involved side of the
          hemipelvis to the axial skeleton and the opposite hemipelvis;
- Assessment of Stability:
    - isolated division of symphysis pubis allows approx 2.5 cm of diastasis
          of symphysis pubis;
    - further division of anterior sacroiliac, sacrospinous, & sacrotuberous
          ligaments causes further instability (APC II), but complete instability does
          not occur until all of sacroiliac ligaments are disrupted (Type III);
- Radiology:
    - Push-Pull Views:
          - used to evaluate dynamic displacement of the pelvis;
          - these views are obtained as in Outlet view w/ examiner
                pushing on the femur for one view and pulling on it for other;



Original Text by Clifford R. Wheeless, III, MD.