Time Course Study on the Use of Temporary Intravascular Shunts as a Damage Control Adjunct in a Superior Mesenteric Artery Injury Model

Reinterventions after damage control surgery

Damage control has well-defined steps. However, there are still controversies regarding whom, when, and how re-interventions should be performed. This article summarizes the Trauma and Emergency Surgery Group (CTE) Cali-Colombia recommendations about the specific situations concerning second interventions of patients undergoing damage control surgery. We suggest packing as the preferred bleeding control strategy, followed by unpacking within the next 48-72 hours. In addition, a deferred anastomosis is recommended for correction of intestinal lesions, and patients treated with vascular shunts should be re-intervened within 24 hours for definitive management. Furthermore, abdominal or thoracic wall closure should be attempted within eight days. These strategies aim to decrease complications, morbidity, and mortality.

Superior Mesenteric Artery and Vein Injuries: Operative Strategies and Outcomes

Traumatic injuries to the mesenteric vessels are rare and often lethal. Visceral vessels, such as the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) and vein (SMV), supply blood to the small and large bowel by a rich system of collaterals. Because fewer than 100 such injuries have been described in the literature, they pose challenges in both diagnosis and management and can unfortunately result in high mortality rates. Prompt diagnosis, surgical intervention, and resuscitation can lead to improved outcomes. Here, we review the literature surrounding traumatic injuries of the SMA/SMV and discuss management strategies.

Temporary rapid bowel ligation as a damage control adjunct improves survival in a hypothermic traumatic shock swine model with multiple bowel perforations

BACKGROUND

Primary intestinal anastomosis is not the right choice for multiple bowel perforations under hemodynamically stable conditions. Our group has employed temporary rapid bowel ligation as a damage control procedure in a hypothermic traumatic shock swine model with multiple bowel perforations and hypothesized that damage control treatment would improve survival in the setting of a damage control surgery.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The abdomen was shot one time with an experimental modified gun while pigs were hemorrhaged to a mean arterial pressure of 40 mm Hg and maintained in shock for 40 min. Cold lactated Ringer solution was gradually infused to induce hypothermia. Animals were randomized to control (no resuscitation), primary anastomosis (PA), or temporary rapid bowel ligation (damage control group, DC). Animals were resuscitated for 12 h with the shed blood and lactated Ringer solution. Delayed anastomosis was performed in DC animals after resuscitation. Surviving animals were humanely killed 24 h after operation. Systemic hemodynamic parameters were recorded and blood samples were obtained for biochemical assays. The lung and ileum was harvested at the end of the experiment for pathologic evaluation and test of wet/dry weight ratio, TNF-α level, and nuclear factor-κB activations.

RESULTS

All animals suffered extreme physiologic conditions: hypothermia, severe acidosis, hypotension, and depressed cardiac output. Control animals suffered 100% mortality. Compared with the PA group, DC animals required less resuscitation fluid, normalized lactate levels faster, had lower serum creatine kinase, aspartate amino transferase levels and tissue TNF-α level and nuclear factor-κB activations, suffered less severe histopathology, had greater early survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Multiple bowel perforations under hemodynamically stable conditions seem better managed with DC than with PA. Temporary rapid bowel ligation as a damage control adjunct is important to rapid control of multiple bowel perforations instead of a prolonged operative time.