Final Lifelines: The Implications and Outcomes of Thoracic Damage Control Surgeries

There is a lack of data on the outcomes of thoracic damage control surgery (TDCS). This study aimed to describe the characteristics and outcomes of patients undergoing TDCS.

This is a retrospective analysis of the American College of Surgeons-Trauma Quality Improvement Program database (2017-2021). All trauma patients who underwent emergency thoracotomy and packing with temporary closure were included. Patients were stratified based on the age groups (pediatric [<18 y], adults [18-64 y], and older adults [≥65 y]). Our primary outcome measures included 6-h, 24-h, and in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes were major complications.

We identified 14,192 thoracotomies, out of which 213 underwent TDCS (pediatric [n = 17], adults [n = 175], and older adults [n = 21]). The mean (SD) age was 37 (18), and 86% were male. The mean shock index was 1.1 (0.4) on presentation with a median [IQR] Glasgow Coma Scale of 4 [3-14], and 22.1% had a prehospital cardiac arrest. The study population was profoundly injured with a median injury severity scoreand chest-abbreviated injury scale of 26 [17-38] and 4 [3-5], respectively, with lung (76.5%) being the most injured intrathoracic organs. Overall, the rates of 6-h, 24-h, and in-hospital mortality were 22.5%, 33%, and 53%, respectively, and 51% developed major complications. There was no significant difference in terms of in-hospital mortality (P = 0.800) and major complications (0.416) among pediatrics, adults, and older adults.

One in three patients undergoing TDCS die within the first 24 h, and more than half of them develop major complications and die in the hospital, with no difference among pediatric, adults, and older adults. Future efforts should be directed to improve the survival of these severely injured, metabolically depleted, challenging patients.