OBJECTIVETo investigate the application effect of damage control orthopedics for the treatment of severe multiple fractures.

METHODSFrom January 2014 to December 2016, 23 patients with severe multiple fractures were treated with the damage control orthopedics (DCO), included 14 males and 9 females with an average age of (41.57±8.29) years old ranging from 28 to 60 years old; the NISS averaged(27.70±5.44) points ranging from 18 to 40 points. As the control group, 27 patients with severe multiple fractures were treated by the early total care(ETC) technology from Jan. 2007 to Dec. 2019, included 16 males and 11 females with an average age of (38.33±9.99) years old ranging from 19 to 55 years old, the NISS averaged (31.07±6.46) points ranging from 20 to 43 points. The ICU recovery time, blood transfusion, total operation time, mortality, complication and length of hospital stay were observed and compared between two groups.

RESULTSIn the DCO group, there were 22 cases surviving and 1 case death, 3 cases of postoperative complication contained 2 cases of adult respiratory distress syndrome, 1 case pin of infection in external fixation. In ETC group, there were 25 cases surviving and 2 cases death, 10 cases of postoperative complication contained 4 cases of adult respiratory distress syndrome and 3 cases of pin infection in external fixation, 1 case of wound infection and 2 cases of multiple organ failure. There was statistically significant difference between two groups in blood transfusion in operation, the ICU recovery time, and complications(<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in total operation time, length of hospital stay and mortality between two groups(>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSFor patients with severe multiple fractures, application of damage control orthopedics can significantly reduce the postoperative complications, ICU recovery time and intraoperative blood transfusion, provide a certain basis for clinical treatment of such patients.