• Andreas Frischknecht, Thomas Lustenberger, Marko Bukur, Matthias Turina, Adrian Billeter, Ladislav Mica, and Marius Keel.
• Department of Surgery, Hospital Uster, Switzerland.
• J Emerg Trauma Shock. 2011 Oct 1; 4 (4): 450-4.

BackgroundThis study reviews our 10-year institutional experience with damage control management and investigates risk factors for early mortality.Materials And MethodsThe trauma registry of our level I trauma centre was utilized to identify all patients from 01/96 through 12/05 who underwent initial damage control procedures. Demographics, clinical and physiological parameters, and outcomes were abstracted. Patients were categorized as either early survivors (surviving the first 72 hours after admission) or early deaths.ResultsDuring the study period, 319 patients underwent damage control management. Overall, 52 patients (16.3%) died (early deaths) and 267 patients (83.7%) survived the first 72 hours (early survivors). Early deaths showed significantly deranged serum lactate (5.81±0.55 vs. 3.46±0.13 mmol/L; P<0.001), base deficit (10.10±0.95 vs. 4.90±0.28 mmol/L; P<0.001) and pH (7.16±0.03 vs. 7.29±0.01; P<0.001) levels compared to early survivors on hospital admission. An International Normalized Ratio >1.2, base deficit >3 mmol/L, head Abbreviated Injury Scale ≥3, body temperature <35°C, serum lactate >6 mmol/L, and hemoglobin <7 g/dL proved to be independent risk factors for early mortality on hospital admission.ConclusionsSeveral risk factors for early mortality such as severe head injury and the lethal triad (coagulopathy, acidosis and hypothermia) in patients undergoing damage control procedures were identified and should trigger the trauma surgeon to maintain aggressive resuscitation in the intensive care unit.

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