title: Abdominal packing for surgically uncontrollable haemorrhage.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Using abdominal packs is often a life-saving technique for uncontrollable bleeding during operations. It prevents worsening of the hypothermia, coagulopathy and acidosis which usually accompanies massive bleeding till they may be corrected and the packs removed later. However, packing may be associated with a mortality of 56 to 82% due to continued bleeding, intra-abdominal abscesses and the compartment syndrome. We follow a policy of early abdominal packing (considering it after a 6 unit intraoperative blood loss) before the situation becomes irreversible.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January 1997 and September 2008, abdominal packing for uncontrollable bleed was done in 49 patients (M:F 34:15, mean age 43 years). The risk factors for mortality were analyzed. The reasons for uncontrollable bleed were: liver trauma (8), liver tumours (3), following liver transplantation (4), pancreatic necrosectomy (17) and miscellaneous causes (17).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 16 postoperative deaths (32.7%). On univariate analysis, hypovolaemic shock, a low urine output, raised INR, blood requirement of more than 6 units, hypothermia <34 degrees C, metabolic acidosis and sepsis were associated with an increased mortality. However, on multivariate logistic regression only hypothermia was significantly associated with mortality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A fair survival rate can be achieved by early and judicious use of abdominal packing especially before hypothermia supervenes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Gastroenterology and Liver Transplantation, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi 110060, India.
authors.forename: Manoj
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Sangeeta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nimbalkar
authors.forename: Punit
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Singla
authors.forename: Vinay
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kumaran
authors.forename: Ravi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mohanka
authors.forename: Naimish
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mehta
authors.forename: Satish
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saluja
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Soin
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nundy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006489:Hemostatic Techniques; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D013630:Tampons, Surgical; D016896:Treatment Outcome