title: Organ failure avoidance and mitigation strategies in surgery.
abstract: Postoperative organ failure is a challenging disease process that is better prevented than treated. Providers should use close observation and clinical judgment, and checklists of best practices to minimize the risk of organ failure in their patients. The treatment of multiorgan dysfunction syndrome (MODS) generally remains supportive, outside of rapid initiation of source control (when appropriate) and targeted antibiotic therapy. More specific treatments may be developed as the complex pathophysiology of MODS is better understood and more homogenous patient populations are selected for study.
authors.affiliation: Acute and Critical Care Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
authors.forename: Kevin W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: McConnell
authors.forename: Craig M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Coopersmith
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D009102:Multiple Organ Failure / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000379:methods*