OBJECTIVETo assess the efficacy and safety of damage control surgery with abdominal packing in non-trauma patients with severe abdominal hemorrhage.

METHODSA retrospective review of consecutive non-trauma patients who underwent abdominal packing to control severe abdominal hemorrhage between February 2002 and February 2007 were performed. The demographics, physiological parameters, surgical indications and procedures, mortality, morbidity and volumes of resuscitation were retrieved. The observed mortality was compared to those calculated from the Physiological and Operative Severity Score for the Enumeration of Mortality and Morbidity (POSSUM) and Portsmouth Predictor Equation (P-POSSUM) scores.

RESULTSA total of 26 non-trauma patients were included in this study, with a mean age of (42.6 +/- 15.8) years (range, 18 - 72 years). The most common etiologies associated with the severe hemorrhage was necrotizing pancreatitis (11 cases), intestinal fistula (5 cases) and tumor (4 cases). Of the patients, 24 cases (92.4%) achieved hemostasis by simple packing, 1 achieved hemostasis by using packing and angiographic embolization, and the other one failed and died. The mean intra-operative blood loss during the initial procedure was 1253.8 ml. The physiological parameters which improved significantly after rewarming and resuscitation in ICU phase included: body temperature, systolic blood pressure, heart rate, arterial pH, base excess, hemoglobin, hematocrit, prothrombin time, and international normalized ratio. The mean duration of packing was 4.3 days. The mean length of SICU stay and hospital stay was 40.5 and 67.4 days, respectively. Mortality rate predicted by POSSUM and P-POSSUM was 77.7% and 63.4%, respectively. Seven patients (26.9%) died after operation, brought an observed mortality rate significantly lower than predicted (P = 0.001 and 0.025, respectively). The most common complications included pneumonia (57.7%), bacteremia (50.0%), and re-bleeding (26.9%).

CONCLUSIONSDamage control laparotomy with packing is an effective procedure in the management of severe non-trauma abdominal hemorrhage, it can prevent the aggravation of "lethal triad" characterized by hypothermia, coagulopathy and acidosis. Appropriate application of the technique in strictly selected patients can result in a lower mortality rate.