The anatomy of pelvic corona mortis vessels in black Africans: a cadaveric study a descriptive cross sectional study carried out at the human anatomy lab in Moi University

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to define the incidence, location, and dimensions of aberrant,retropubic, anastomosing arteries or veins, the corona mortis, that connect the external iliac and obturator vessels and determine whether they interfere with the clinical approaches to the pelvis and acetabulum in the Kenyan population . These surgical approaches are used by orthopaedic surgeons to reduce and fix fractures of the pelvic girdle (particularly at the symphysis pubis and the superior pubic ramus) and of the acetabulum (particularly the anterior column). The corona mortis has been said to cause massive uncontrolled bleeding 1 , significant bleeding 2 , profuse bleeding 3 , persistent pelvic bleeding 4 ,or life-threatening haemorrhage 5 . To avoid this catastrophic complication, the surgeon must understand the anatomy and plan to clamp and ligate the Corona Mortis when it is encountered.