Colomb Medica
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Thoracic vascular trauma is associated with high mortality and is the second most common cause of death in patients with trauma following head injuries. Less than 25% of patients with a thoracic vascular injury arrive alive to the hospital and more than 50% die within the first 24 hours. Thoracic trauma with the involvement of the great vessels is a surgical challenge due to the complex and restricted anatomy of these structures and its association with adjacent organ damage. ⋯ We have been able to show that the early application of a resuscitative median sternotomy together with a zone 1 resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) in hemodynamically unstable patients with thoracic outlet vascular injuries improves survival by providing rapid stabilization of central aortic pressure and serving as a bridge to hemorrhage control. Damage control surgery principles should also be implemented when indicated, followed by definitive repair once the correction of the lethal diamond has been achieved. To this end, we have developed a six-step management algorithm that illustrates the surgical care of patients with thoracic outlet vascular injuries according to the American Association of the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) classification.
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Review
Damage control in the intensive care unit: what should the intensive care physician know and do?
Damage control surgery has transformed the management of severely injured trauma patients. It was initially described as a three-step process that included bleeding control, abdominal cavity contamination, and resuscitation in the intensive care unit (ICU) before definitive repair of the injuries. ⋯ The objective of this article is to describe the physiological alterations in a severely injured trauma patient who undergo damage control surgery and to establish an adequate management approach. The physician should always be aware and correct the hypothermia, acidosis, coagulopathy and hypocalcemia presented in the severely injured trauma patients.
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Review
Evolution of damage control surgery in non-traumatic abdominal pathology: a light in the darkness.
Damage control surgery is based on temporal control of the injury, physiologic recovery and posterior deferred definitive management. This strategy began in the 1980s and became a formal concept in 1993. It has proven to be a strategy that reduces mortality in severely injured trauma patients. ⋯ This article aims to gather historical experiences in damage control surgery performed in non-traumatic abdominal emergency pathology patients and present a novel management algorithm. This strategy could be a surgical option to treat hemodynamically unstable patients in catastrophic scenarios such as hemorrhagic and septic shock caused by peritonitis, pancreatitis, acute mesenteric ischemia, among others. Therefore, damage control surgery is light amid better short- and long-term results.
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In Orthopedics, damage control is indicated in patients with pelvic and/or long bone fractures associated with hemodynamic instability. It is inappropriate to perform a complex definitive reduction and fixation surgery for severely injured trauma patients with hemodynamic instability. In these cases, it is recommended to perform minimally invasive procedures that temporarily stabilize the fractures and bleeding control. ⋯ These patients will have a shorter hospital length of stay and a reduction in mechanical ventilation, blood components transfusions and complications. Therefore, the concept of orthopedic damage control should be individualized according to the hemodynamic status and the severity of the injuries. Open fractures, dislocations, and vascular injuries could lead to permanent sequelae and complications if a correct management and approach are not performed.
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Carotid artery trauma carries a high risk of neurological sequelae and death. Surgical management of these injuries has been controversial because it entails deciding between repair or ligation of the vessel, for which there is still no true consensus either way. This article proposes a new management strategy for carotid artery injuries based on the principles of damage control surgery which include endovascular and/or traditional open repair techniques. ⋯ An altered mental status upon arrival is a potentially poor prognosis marker and should be taken into account in the therapeutic decision-making. We describe a step-by-step algorithmic approach to these injuries, including open and endovascular techniques. In addition, conservative non-operative management has also been included as a potentially viable strategy in selected patients, which avoids unnecessary surgery in many cases.