With the hip in 30-45° of flexion and the surgeon sitting on the contralateral side of the lesion, an 8-10-centimeter-long horizontal incision is made two centimeters above the pubic symphysis. The linea alba is opened in a craniocaudal direction and the rectus femoris on the same side of the fracture is subperiosteally detached, exposing the pubic symphysis and the superior pubic ramus. Subsequently, the Retzius space can be accessed after reflecting the bladder to protect it from injury. From 4 to 9 cm lateral to the pubic symphysis, 50-84% of patients present with a so-called corona mortis [13-15], a vascular anastomosis between the obturator and the external iliac artery (Figure 1). This structure must be either ligated or electrocoagulated as it is a potentially dangerous source of bleeding.
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