Damage control orthopaedics: evolving concepts in the treatment of patients who have sustained orthopaedic trauma.
Roberts CS, Pape HC, Jones AL, Malkani AL, Rodriguez JL, Giannoudis PV.
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Louisville, Kentucky, USA.
In some groups of polytrauma patients, particularly those with chest injuries, head injuries, and those with mangled extremities, early total care of major bone fractures may be potentially harmful. Delaying all orthopaedic surgery, however, is also not always the best approach. In these situations, damage control orthopaedics, which emphasizes the stabilization and control of the injury rather than repair will add little additional physiologic insult to the patient and is a treatment option that should be considered.
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PMID: 15948472 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]