Abdominal packing for surgically uncontrollable haemorrhage.

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.