title: Damage control orthopaedics: evolving concepts in the treatment of patients who have sustained orthopaedic trauma.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Louisville, Kentucky, USA.
authors.forename: Craig S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Hans-Christoph
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Pape
authors.forename: Alan L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Arthur L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Malkani
authors.forename: Jorge L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.forename: Peter V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Giannoudis
mesh_terms: D005592:Fracture Fixation / Q000379:methods*; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D018579:Patient Selection; D012307:Risk Factors; D018746:Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016896:Treatment Outcome