Colomb Medica
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Definitive management of hemodynamically stable patients with penetrating cardiac injuries remains controversial between those who propose aggressive invasive care versus those who opt for a less invasive or non-operative approach. This controversy even extends to cases of hemodynamically unstable patients in which damage control surgery is thought to be useful and effective. The aim of this article is to delineate our experience in the surgical management of penetrating cardiac injuries via the creation of a clear and practical algorithm that includes basic principles of damage control surgery. ⋯ With the coming of the pericardial lavage and drainage procedure, the reported literature and our experience have shown that 25% of positive pericardial windows do not benefit and/or require further invasive procedures. However, in hemodynamically unstable patients, damage control surgery may still be required to control ongoing bleeding. For this purpose, we propose a surgical management algorithm that includes all of these essential clinical aspects in the care of these patients.
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In patients with abdominal trauma who require laparotomy, up to a quarter or a third will have a vascular injury. The venous structures mainly injured are the vena cava (29%) and the iliac veins (20%), and arterial vessels are the iliac arteries (16%) and the aorta (14%). The initial approach is performed following the ATLS principles. ⋯ The management of all lesions should be oriented towards the expeditious conclusion of the laparotomy, focusing efforts on the bleeding control and contamination, with a postponement of the definitive management. Their management of vascular injuries includes ligation, transient bypass, and packing of selected low-pressure vessels and bleeding surfaces. Subsequently, the unconventional closure of the abdominal cavity should be performed, preferably with negative pressure systems, to reoperate once the hemodynamic alterations and coagulopathy have been corrected to carry out the definitive management.
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Damage control surgery principles allow delayed management of traumatic lesions and early metabolic resuscitation by performing abbreviated procedures and prompt resuscitation maneuvers in severely injured trauma patients. However, the initial physiological response to trauma and surgery, along with the hemostatic resuscitation efforts, causes important side effects on intracavitary organs such as tissue edema, increased cavity pressure, and hemodynamic collapse. ⋯ This article aims to describe the indications and surgical techniques for delayed abdominal or thoracic closure following damage control surgery in severely injured trauma patients, based on the experience obtained by the Trauma and Emergency Surgery Group (CTE) of Cali, Colombia. We recommend negative pressure dressing as the gold standard technique for delayed cavity closure, associated with higher wall closure success rates and lower complication and mortality rates.
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Damage control has well-defined steps. However, there are still controversies regarding whom, when, and how re-interventions should be performed. This article summarizes the Trauma and Emergency Surgery Group (CTE) Cali-Colombia recommendations about the specific situations concerning second interventions of patients undergoing damage control surgery. ⋯ In addition, a deferred anastomosis is recommended for correction of intestinal lesions, and patients treated with vascular shunts should be re-intervened within 24 hours for definitive management. Furthermore, abdominal or thoracic wall closure should be attempted within eight days. These strategies aim to decrease complications, morbidity, and mortality.
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Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) is commonly used as an adjunct to resuscitation and bridge to definitive control of non-compressible torso hemorrhage in patients with hemorrhagic shock. It has also been performed for patients with neurogenic shock to support the central aortic pressure necessary for cerebral, coronary and spinal cord perfusion. ⋯ There are still unanswered questions on spinal cord perfusion and functional outcomes using a REBOA in Zone 3 in trauma patients with refractory neurogenic shock. However, we believe that its use in these case scenarios can be beneficial to the overall outcome of these patients.