Damage Control Resuscitation

• "Damage control resucitation" is a term that is used to describe the resuscitation strategy of damage control surgical techniques and the tolerance of moderate hypotension, prevention of hypothermia, temporization of acidosis, and the correction of coagulopathy in the severly injured trauma patient.
• In terms of the "lethal triad", it is important to avoid interventions that may cause, or worsen, acidosis.
• A preventable and easily correctable cause of acidosis is hypoventilation.
• In the intubated trauma patient, pay close attention to the minute ventilation to avoid hypoventilation and the accumulation of CO₂.

References

Beekley, AC. Damage control resuscitation: A sensible approach to the exsanguinating surgical patient. Crit Care Med 2008;36:S267-74.