title: Damage control orthopedics:  current evidence.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There is still an ongoing debate whether damage control orthopedics (DCO) or other treatment strategies should be favored in the treatment of multiply injured patients. This review gives an overview of the current literature concerning this important question in the treatment of severely injured patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Several studies could show that DCO can reduce the inflammatory burden due to surgery (second hit). The only randomized study showed a benefit for borderline patients treated by DCO in comparison to early total care. Other studies showed advantages for early care treatment in similar patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In severely injured patients, DCO should be considered. On the other hand, there is still a lack of randomized studies for a more precise characterization of the patients who benefit from DCO treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Trauma Surgery, Medical School of the RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lichte
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kobbe
authors.forename: Derek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dombroski
authors.forename: Hans C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Pape
mesh_terms: D055317:Evidence-Based Practice; D006801:Humans; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D018746:Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome / Q000517:prevention & control; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000601:surgery