Damage control orthopaedics: state of the art management of polytrauma

While the basic concept of saving life and decreasing disability h as not changed in the management of polytrauma, the timing and strategies of tre atment have been gradually modified. Damage control is one of the new strategies , and its application in orthopedic traumatology is known as damage control orth opedics. Damage control orthopedics involves formalized three stages in the mana gement of fractures of long bones and pelvis. Stage 1 consists of temporary fixa tion of the unstable fractures and hemostasis. Stage 2 comprises resuscitation, warming, oxygen delivery and administration of coagulation factors to the patien t in the intensive care unit. In Stage 3 definitive fixation is done for the fra cture. Indications of damage control orthopedics: for patients with polytrauma w hose conditions are unstable or in extremis the damage control strategy is recom mended. For the borderline patients early total care may be applied, but the sur gery should be performed with great caution. It has to be converted to the damag e control strategy if conditions of the patient deteriorate during the operation . Since damage control orthopedics is an evolving practice, further work is need ed to enhance its effectiveness and to reduce the incidence of ARDS and MOF.