The 1-2-3 approach to abdominal packing.

Background: Abdominal packing (AP) in damage-control laparotomy (DCL) is a lifesaving technique that controls coagulopathic hemorrhage in severely injured trauma patients. However, the impact of the duration of AP on the incidence of re-bleeding and on intra-abdominal infections in penetrating abdominal trauma is not clear. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the complications related to the duration of AP and to determine the optimal time for AP removal.

Experience of two first level hospitals in the southwest region of Colombia on the implementation of the Panamerican Trauma Society International Trauma Registry.

Objective: To describes the experience in the implementation of a TRS in two hospitals in Cali, Colombia.

Methods: The TRS includes prehospitalary, during hospitalization and discharging status information of each patient. Each hospital has an electronic data capture strategy.

Safety of performing a delayed anastomosis during damage control laparotomy in patients with destructive colon injuries.

Background: Recent studies report the safety and feasibility of performing delayed anastomosis (DA) in patients undergoing damage control laparotomy (DCL) for destructive colon injuries (DCIs). Despite accumulating experience in both civilian and military trauma, questions regarding how to best identify high-risk patients and minimize the number of anastomosis-associated complications remain. Our current practice is to perform a definitive closure of the colon during DCL, unless there is persistent acidosis, bowel wall edema, or evidence of intra-abdominal abscess.