Incidence of Venous Thromboembolism in Patients With Pelvic and Acetabular Fractures (PAF)

Pelvic and acetabular fractures (PAF) are serious injuries that carry a high risk of complications, including venous thromboembolism (VTE). VTE, which includes deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), is one of the most relevant and potentially life-threatening events in trauma patients. While VTE incidence in PAF patients has been reported to range widely in the literature, prospective data with standardized screening and prophylaxis are scarce. This prospective observational cohort study investigates the incidence of VTE in adult patients admitted with pelvic, acetabular, or combined fractures. All participants receive standardized thromboprophylaxis with enoxaparin 4,000 IU administered twice daily, according to institutional protocol. In addition to routine clinical management, bilateral duplex ultrasonography is systematically performed during hospitalization to detect both symptomatic and asymptomatic DVT. In cases where pulmonary embolism is clinically suspected, computed tomography pulmonary angiography is carried out. The primary outcome of the study is the incidence of VTE during the index hospital stay. Secondary outcomes include bleeding complications, and the association of fracture type, patient risk profile, and treatment modality with the occurrence of VTE. The study is designed to provide high-quality observational data that will contribute to the understanding of VTE risk in this vulnerable patient population and may help inform future guidelines on thromboprophylaxis in pelvic and acetabular fracture care.