Principles Of Damage Control Surgery Research Articles

Damage control surgery: old concepts and new indications.

While the principles of damage control surgery - rapid hemorrhage and contamination control with correction of physiologic derangements followed by delayed definitive reconstruction - have remained consistent, forms of damage control intervention have evolved and proliferated dramatically. This review aims to provide a historic perspective of the early trends of damage control surgery as well as an updated understanding of its current state and future trends. Physiologically depleted patients in shock due to both traumatic and nontraumatic causes are often treated with damage control laparotomy and surgical principles. Damage control surgery has also been shown to be safe and effective in thoracic and orthopedic injuries. Damage control resuscitation is used in conjunction with surgical source control to restore patient physiology and prevent further collapse. The overuse of damage control laparotomy, however, is associated with increased morbidity and complications. With advancing technology, catheter- and stent-based endovascular modalities are playing a larger role in the resuscitation and definitive care of patients. Optimal outcome in the care of the most severely injured patients requires judicious use of damage control surgery supplemented by advancements in resuscitation and surgical adjuncts.

Lessons learned from the ROLE 3rd International Hospital in Afghanistan. The necessity of training in expanded surgical skills

Introduction: Acquiring and maintaining a wide range of surgical skills is challenging both for military surgeons and all physicians providing surgical treatment in a wartime conflict. In the article we analyze the activities of the surgeons of the field surgical team of the Army of the Czech Republic operating in the multinational hospital ROLE 3 in Kabul, Afghanistan, in the International Security and Assistance Force (ISAF) operation. Methods: All patients undergoing surgery between 21st June and 26th September 2012 were evaluated. ISAF soldiers, Afghan Army soldiers, Afghan National Police officers, Afghan civilians and non-Afghan civilians of various nationalities were operated on including children. Combat and noncombat injuries and illnesses requiring acute surgical treatment or elective surgery were monitored. Results: In a period of three months, a total of 442 procedures were performed on 263 patients, 23% of whom were pediatric patients with the mean age of 10 years. Thirty seven percent were operated on due to a combat injury, 29% were operated on due to a non-combat injury, and 34% of the patients were operated on due to a chronic or acute illness. In combat injuries, 57% were combined injuries requiring a solution based on the principle of damage control surgery, and 26% required life-saving procedures for injuries to the chest and large vessels. Conclusion: A military surgeon, as well as a surgeon treating wounds in a war conflict, must have extensive professional knowledge and must master a wide variety of surgical skills to quickly and effectively deal with especially life-threatening conditions, including thoracic and vascular trauma. In contrast to the direction of current surgery towards specializations and sub-specializations, it seems necessary to develop and implement in the Czech Republic a comprehensive surgical training program focusing on war injuries.

Surgical management of duodenal injury: experience from 92 cases.

Duodenal injury increases with traffic accidents, and delayed diagnosis or inappropriate operation increase mortality and complications. This study aimed to explore early recognition and timely surgical intervention. All patients with duodenal injuries treated operatively during the past 10years were reviewed, and the data were analyzed retrospectively regarding the mechanism of injury, diagnostic and therapeutic methods, and outcome. A total of 92 patients with duodenal injuries accounted for 7.3% of 1258 patients with abdominal injury. Of the 92 patients, 71 (77.17%) experienced blunt trauma, with traffic accidents accounting for 59.2% (42/71). In 35 patients, a preoperative diagnosis was obtained by reviewing abdominal signs, peritoneocentesis, and imaging. The remaining 57 patients underwent urgent laparotomy, through which a definitive diagnosis of duodenal injury was confirmed during the operation. In all 92 patients, the surgical procedures involved simple sutures; pedicled jejunal piece coverings; and various anastomoses following resection of the injured duodenal portion, including the Whipple procedure and damage-control surgery principles. The overall mortality rate was 12.0% (11/92) with deaths mainly occurring due to associated injuries. When excluding 2 cases of intraoperative death, there were 47 cases in the double-tube gastrostomy group and 43 cases in the traditional triple-tube group, with mortality rates of 10.64% and 9.30% in the two groups, respectively (χ2 = 0.045, P > 0.05). Postoperative complications occurred in 15 patients (18.5%). There was a high incidence of duodenal (or pancreatic/biliary) leakage. Early diagnosis and operation of duodenal injury are crucial to reducing complications and mortality. Surgical methods should be based on injury grade, associated injuries, and vital signs. Double-tube gastrostomy can reduce complications such as intestinal obstruction.

Contemporary strategies for diagnosis and management of necrotizing soft tissue infections: Α review

The necrotizing soft tissue infection (NSTI) is an uncommon but rapidly progressive destructive disease associated with high mortality. In this study, we review basic knowledge and emphasize contemporary perspectives in diagnosis and treatment of adult NSTI. The mainstays of management of NSTI that can modify outcomes are the awareness for early detection and that all aspects of multidisciplinary treatment should be started promptly and simultaneously. Surgical debridement entails aggressive approach with extensive, and, if required, repeat necrectomies to completely control advancing sepsis in soft tissues. There is general agreement that the principles of damage control surgery should be applied on deranged NSTI patients. Continuous supportive care and scheduled management of residual open wounds are considered as extremely important. It has also been recognized that relative clinical guidelines and recommendations are growing in number and may vary widely in quality. Notably, the compliance of therapists to given guidelines differs among studies, and variations in aspects of clinical practice exist. Many studies comprise small numbers of patients, making evaluation of proposed novel techniques or adjuncts unreliable. Concluding, NSTI diagnosis should be promptly established, surgery should never be delayed so that sepsis remains reversible, and supportive care should be continuous. Novel therapeutics are required to combat this persistently lethal disease, thus, the next research steps should focus on determining if optimization of modifiable predictors would improve outcomes. Stronger well-conducted studies and wider dissemination of developed evidence-based instructions, while ensuring the strict compliance of daily clinicians’ practices, are required to further improve outcomes.

Surgical management of injured ADF personnel deployed to Afghanistan 2001-2021.

A comprehensive review of the surgical management of injuries sustained by deployed members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) during Operation SLIPPER and HIGHROAD in Afghanistan has not previously been undertaken. Understanding the mechanism of injury, injury types sustained and surgical intervention undertaken should provide valuable information for future health planning and surgical capability determination. Retrospective chart review of scanned medical records of injured personnel identified through casualty register examination was undertaken. There were 259 ADF personnel injured in Afghanistan between January 2002 and December 2021, of which 53 were seriously (SI), or very seriously injured (VSI). Case notes for 90 of 101 casualties including those sustaining VSI, SI and those classified as being in satisfactory condition, but likely requiring surgery and/or returned to Australia following trauma, were available for review. Most patients with VSI/SI required surgery (93%) and most were returned to Australia following injury (91%). Almost two-thirds (64.4%) of initial surgery was undertaken at a Role 2 E medical treatment facility (MTF). Gun-shot wound (GSW) was the commonest injuring mechanism (47%) followed by blast injury (39.6%). Orthopaedic (32.2%) and soft tissue initial wound surgery (47.1%) were the commonest surgical procedures. Surgical management of military trauma was undertaken at multiple sites by multiple surgical teams from different nationalities delivering exceptional results and conforming to modern principles of damage control surgery. The military trauma system is distinctly different from its civilian counterpart with dispersion of assets requiring multiple episodes of casualty movement between echelons of care rather than centralization at level 1 trauma centres. Despite this, excellent results are achievable. Strengthening lines of communication and documentation would reinforce the ability of the military trauma system to continue to provide such results, and regular oversight and review of surgical caseload would align military trauma surgery with civilian standards. The benchmark set by the United States Department of Defense Trauma Registry should be replicated for Australian led combat operations and modified to facilitate interoperability to support future coalition combat operations.

Diagnosis and treatment of traumatic duodenal rupture in children

BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to investigate the diagnosis and treatment experience of traumatic duodenal ruptures in children.MethodsClinical data were collected from four children suffering from a traumatic duodenal rupture who were admitted to and treated by our hospital from January 2012 to December 2020. The early diagnosis and treatment, surgical plan, postoperative management, complications, and prognosis of each child were analyzed. The key points and difficulties of the diagnosis and treatment for this type of injury are summarized.ResultsOne child had an extreme infection caused by drug-resistant bacteria, which resulted in severe complications, including wound infection, dehiscence, and an intestinal fistula. One child developed an anastomotic stenosis after the duodenostomy, which improved following an endoscopic balloon dilatation. The other two children had no relevant complications after their operations. All four patients were cured and discharged from hospital. The average hospital stay was 48.25 ± 26.89 days. The follow-up period was 0.5 to 1 year. No other complications occurred, and all children had a positive prognosis.ConclusionsThe early identification of a duodenal rupture is essential, and surgical exploration should be carried out proactively. The principles of damage-control surgery should be followed as much as possible during the operation. Multidisciplinary cooperation and management are both important to reduce the occurrence of postoperative complications and improve cure rates.

707 Principles of Damage Control Surgery in Trauma and Beyond: Experience at A Tertiary Centre

Abstract Damage control surgery (DCS) is an abbreviated laparotomy used as a temporising measure in critically unwell patients who have limited physiological reserves to tolerate complex definitive surgeries. The aim of DCS is to address life-threatening haemorrhage and manage abdominal contamination. Following an abbreviated laparotomy, patients are continuously resuscitated in intensive care unit until physiological stability can be maintained for definitive surgeries. The role of DCS in the trauma setting is well-described; however, its principles can also be applied in General Surgery for a variety of indications such as mesenteric ischaemia, uncontrolled haemorrhage, and secondary peritonitis. Judicious selection of the non-trauma patient who will benefit from this strategy is paramount. We present two cases of a polytrauma patient (Patient A), and non-trauma patient with abdominal septic shock (Patient B) who underwent DCS at our tertiary centre. Patient A is a 49-year-old male involved in a road traffic accident who sustained multiple injuries including liver laceration, splenic laceration, and colonic injury. Intra-abdominal packing and repair of serosal tears were performed, with a re-look laparotomy 48 hours later -- no further bleeding or visceral injuries were identified. Patient B is a 51-year-old gentleman who re-presented in septic shock due to infected retroperitoneal collection following a bleeding duodenal ulcer, initially managed radiologically. A T tube was inserted into the duodenum with two abdominal drains at initial DCS. After thorough washout, a feeding jejunostomy was sited at the re-look laparotomy. 30-days mortality is 0% and both patients are under follow-up.

Abdominal and thoracic wall closure: damage control surgery's cinderella.

Damage control surgery principles allow delayed management of traumatic lesions and early metabolic resuscitation by performing abbreviated procedures and prompt resuscitation maneuvers in severely injured trauma patients. However, the initial physiological response to trauma and surgery, along with the hemostatic resuscitation efforts, causes important side effects on intracavitary organs such as tissue edema, increased cavity pressure, and hemodynamic collapse. Consequently, different techniques have been developed over the years for a delayed cavity closure. Nonetheless, the optimal management of abdominal and thoracic surgical closure remains controversial. This article aims to describe the indications and surgical techniques for delayed abdominal or thoracic closure following damage control surgery in severely injured trauma patients, based on the experience obtained by the Trauma and Emergency Surgery Group (CTE) of Cali, Colombia. We recommend negative pressure dressing as the gold standard technique for delayed cavity closure, associated with higher wall closure success rates and lower complication and mortality rates.

Damage control in penetrating carotid artery trauma: changing a 100-year paradigm.

Carotid artery trauma carries a high risk of neurological sequelae and death. Surgical management of these injuries has been controversial because it entails deciding between repair or ligation of the vessel, for which there is still no true consensus either way. This article proposes a new management strategy for carotid artery injuries based on the principles of damage control surgery which include endovascular and/or traditional open repair techniques. The decision to operate immediately or to perform further imaging studies will depend on the patient's hemodynamic status. If the patient presents with massive bleeding, an expanding neck hematoma or refractory hypovolemic shock, urgent surgical intervention is indicated. An altered mental status upon arrival is a potentially poor prognosis marker and should be taken into account in the therapeutic decision-making. We describe a step-by-step algorithmic approach to these injuries, including open and endovascular techniques. In addition, conservative non-operative management has also been included as a potentially viable strategy in selected patients, which avoids unnecessary surgery in many cases.

Damage control surgery for thoracic outlet vascular injuries: the new resuscitative median sternotomy plus REBOA.

Thoracic vascular trauma is associated with high mortality and is the second most common cause of death in patients with trauma following head injuries. Less than 25% of patients with a thoracic vascular injury arrive alive to the hospital and more than 50% die within the first 24 hours. Thoracic trauma with the involvement of the great vessels is a surgical challenge due to the complex and restricted anatomy of these structures and its association with adjacent organ damage. This article aims to delineate the experience obtained in the surgical management of thoracic vascular injuries via the creation of a practical algorithm that includes basic principles of damage control surgery. We have been able to show that the early application of a resuscitative median sternotomy together with a zone 1 resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) in hemodynamically unstable patients with thoracic outlet vascular injuries improves survival by providing rapid stabilization of central aortic pressure and serving as a bridge to hemorrhage control. Damage control surgery principles should also be implemented when indicated, followed by definitive repair once the correction of the lethal diamond has been achieved. To this end, we have developed a six-step management algorithm that illustrates the surgical care of patients with thoracic outlet vascular injuries according to the American Association of the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) classification.

Damage control in the emergency department, a bridge to life.

Patients with hemodynamic instability have a sustained systolic blood pressure less or equal to 90 mmHg, a heart rate greater or equal to 120 beats per minute and an acute compromise of the ventilation/oxygenation ratio and/or an altered state of consciousness upon admission. These patients have higher mortality rates due to massive hemorrhage, airway injury and/or impaired ventilation. Damage control resuscitation is a systematic approach that aims to limit physiologic deterioration through strategies that address the physiologic debt of trauma. This article aims to describe the experience earned by the Trauma and Emergency Surgery Group (CTE) of Cali, Colombia in the management of the severely injured trauma patient in the emergency department following the basic principles of damage control surgery. Since bleeding is the main cause of death, the management of the severely injured trauma patient in the emergency department requires a multidisciplinary team that performs damage control maneuvers aimed at rapidly controlling bleeding, hemostatic resuscitation, and/or prompt transfer to the operating room, if required.

Damage control surgery for splenic trauma: "preserve an organ - preserve a life".

The spleen is one of the most commonly injured solid organs of the abdominal cavity and an early diagnosis can reduce the associated mortality. Over the past couple of decades, management of splenic injuries has evolved to a prefered non-operative approach even in severely injured cases. However, the optimal surgical management of splenic trauma in severely injured patients remains controversial. This article aims to present an algorithm for the management of splenic trauma in severely injured patients, that includes basic principles of damage control surgery and is based on the experience obtained by the Trauma and Emergency Surgery Group (CTE) of Cali, Colombia. The choice between a conservative or a surgical approach depends on the hemodynamic status of the patient. In hemodynamically stable patients, a computed tomography angiogram should be performed to determine if non-operative management is feasible and if angioembolization is required. While hemodynamically unstable patients should be transferred immediately to the operating room for damage control surgery, which includes splenic packing and placement of a negative pressure dressing, followed by angiography with embolization of any ongoing arterial bleeding. It is our recommendation that both damage control principles and emerging endovascular technologies should be applied to achieve splenic salvage when possible. However, if surgical bleeding persists a splenectomy may be required as a definitive lifesaving maneuver.

Damage control in penetrating duodenal trauma: less is better - the sequel.

The overall incidence of duodenal injuries in severely injured trauma patients is between 0.2 to 0.6% and the overall prevalence in those suffering from abdominal trauma is 3 to 5%. Approximately 80% of these cases are secondary to penetrating trauma, commonly associated with vascular and adjacent organ injuries. Therefore, defining the best surgical treatment algorithm remains controversial. Mild to moderate duodenal trauma is currently managed via primary repair and simple surgical techniques. However, severe injuries have required complex surgical techniques without significant favorable outcomes and a consequential increase in mortality rates. This article aims to delineate the experience in the surgical management of penetrating duodenal injuries via the creation of a practical and effective algorithm that includes basic principles of damage control surgery that sticks to the philosophy of “Less is Better”. Surgical management of all penetrating duodenal trauma should always default when possible to primary repair. When confronted with a complex duodenal injury, hemodynamic instability, and/or significant associated injuries, the default should be damage control surgery. Definitive reconstructive surgery should be postponed until the patient has been adequately resuscitated and the diamond of death has been corrected.

Damage control in penetrating cardiac trauma.

Definitive management of hemodynamically stable patients with penetrating cardiac injuries remains controversial between those who propose aggressive invasive care versus those who opt for a less invasive or non-operative approach. This controversy even extends to cases of hemodynamically unstable patients in which damage control surgery is thought to be useful and effective. The aim of this article is to delineate our experience in the surgical management of penetrating cardiac injuries via the creation of a clear and practical algorithm that includes basic principles of damage control surgery. We recommend that all patients with precordial penetrating injuries undergo trans-thoracic ultrasound screening as an integral component of their initial evaluation. In those patients who arrive hemodynamically stable but have a positive ultrasound, a pericardial window with lavage and drainage should follow. We want to emphasize the importance of the pericardial lavage and drainage in the surgical management algorithm of these patients. Before this concept, all positive pericardial windows ended up in an open chest exploration. With the coming of the pericardial lavage and drainage procedure, the reported literature and our experience have shown that 25% of positive pericardial windows do not benefit and/or require further invasive procedures. However, in hemodynamically unstable patients, damage control surgery may still be required to control ongoing bleeding. For this purpose, we propose a surgical management algorithm that includes all of these essential clinical aspects in the care of these patients.

Damage control of peripheral vascular trauma - Don't be afraid of axillary or popliteal fosses.

Peripheral vascular injuries are uncommon in civilian trauma but can threaten the patient’s life or the viability of the limb. The definitive control of the vascular injury represents a surgical challenge, especially if the patient is hemodynamically unstable. This article proposes the management of peripheral vascular trauma following damage control surgery principles. It is essential to rapidly identify vascular injury signs and perform temporary bleeding control maneuvers. The surgical approaches according to the anatomical injured region should be selected. We propose two novel approaches to access the axillary and popliteal zones. The priority should be to reestablish limb perfusion via primary repair or damage control techniques (vascular shunt or endovascular approach). Major vascular surgeries should be managed post-operatively in the intensive care unit, which will allow correction of physiological derangement and identification of those developing compartmental syndrome. All permanent or temporary vascular procedures should be followed by a definitive repair within the first 8 hours. An early diagnosis and opportune intervention are fundamental to preserve the function and perfusion of the extremity.

Critical Care Considerations for Damage Control in a Trauma Patient

Traumatic injury remains the leading cause of death among individuals younger than age 45 years. Hemorrhage is the primary preventable cause of death in trauma patients. Management of hemorrhage focuses on rapidly controlling bleeding and addressing the lethal triad of hypothermia, acidosis, and coagulopathy. The principles of damage control surgery are rapid control of hemorrhage, temporary control of contamination, resuscitation in the intensive care unit to restore normal physiology, and a planned, delayed definitive operative procedure. Damage control resuscitation focuses on 3 key components: fluid restriction, permissive hypotension, and fixed-ratio transfusion. Rapid recognition and control of hemorrhage and implementation of resuscitation strategies to control damage have significantly improved mortality and morbidity rates. In addition to describing the basic principles of damage control surgery and damage control resuscitation, this article explains specific management considerations for and potential complications in patients undergoing damage control interventions in an intensive care unit.

Pancreatic damage control: the pancreas is simple don't complicate it.

Pancreatic trauma is a rare but potentially lethal injury because often it is associated with other abdominal organ or vascular injuries. Usually, it has a late clinical presentation which in turn complicates the management and overall prognosis. Due to the overall low prevalence of pancreatic injuries, there has been a significant lack of consensus among trauma surgeons worldwide on how to appropriately and efficiently diagnose and manage them. The accurate diagnosis of these injuries is difficult due to its anatomical location and the fact that signs of pancreatic damage are usually of delayed presentation. The current surgical trend has been moving towards organ preservation in order to avoid complications secondary to exocrine and endocrine function loss and/or potential implicit post-operative complications including leaks and fistulas. The aim of this paper is to propose a management algorithm of patients with pancreatic injuries via an expert consensus. Most pancreatic injuries can be managed with a combination of hemostatic maneuvers, pancreatic packing, parenchymal wound suturing and closed surgical drainage. Distal pancreatectomies with the inevitable loss of significant amounts of healthy pancreatic tissue must be avoided. General principles of damage control surgery must be applied when necessary followed by definitive surgical management when and only when appropriate physiological stabilization has been achieved. It is our experience that viable un-injured pancreatic tissue should be left alone when possible in all types of pancreatic injuries accompanied by adequate closed surgical drainage with the aim of preserving primary organ function and decreasing short and long term morbidity.

Damage Control Surgery may be a Safe Option for Severe Non-Trauma Peritonitis Management: Proposal of a New Decision-Making Algorithm.

Damage control surgery (DCS) has emerged as a new option in the management of non-traumatic peritonitis patients to increase survival in critically ill patients. The purpose of this study was to compare DCS with conventional strategy (anastomosis/ostomies in the index laparotomy) for severe non-traumatic peritonitis regarding postoperative complications, ostomy rate, and mortality and to propose a useful algorithm in the clinical practice. Patients who underwent an urgent laparotomy for non-trauma peritonitis at a single level I trauma center in Colombia between January 2003 and December 2018, were retrospectively included. We compared patients who had DCS management versus definitive initial surgical management (DISM) group. We evaluated clinical outcomes and morbidities among groups. 290 patients were included; 81 patients were treated with DCS and 209 patients underwent DISM. Patients treated with DCS had a worse critical status before surgery with higher SOFA score [median, DCS group: 5 (IQR: 3-8) vs. DISM group: 3 (IQR: 1-6), p < 0.001]. The length of hospital stay and overall mortality rate of DCS group were not significant statistical differences with DISM group. Complications rate related to primary anastomosis or primary ostomy was similar. There is not difference in ostomy rate among groups. At multivariate analysis, SOFA > 6 points and APACHE-II > 20 points correlated with a higher probability of DCS. DCS in severe non-trauma peritonitis patients is feasible and safe as surgical strategy management without increasing mortality, length hospital of stay, or complications. DCS principles might be applied in the non-trauma scenarios without increase the stoma rate.

Современные тенденции в оперативном лечении больных с повреждениями таза и вертлужной впадины (обзор литературы)

Introduction There is evidence in the literature over the past 5 years that pelvic and acetabular fractures are increasing in prevalence with the rise of injuries sustained in road traffic accidents, the growing number and severity of trauma, significant complication rate and unsatisfactory outcomes due to untimely surgical treatment. Objective Review current trends in the selection of surgical approaches and fixation of the pelvis and acetabulum, the postoperative rehabilitation strategies and identify factors for poor outcomes of surgical treatment. Material and methods We performed searches using HAC peer-reviewed and SCOPUS indexed journals, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Сochrane library, еLibrary.ru, Wiley Online Library with search criteria of pelvic fractures, displaced acetabular fractures, open reduction of the pelvis and acetabulum, osteosynthesis, minimally invasive osteosynthesis and primary total hip arthroplasty, approaches and complications of acetabular fracture surgery. Results Indications to surgical treatment of patients with concomitant, multiple and isolated fractures of the pelvis and acetabulum were identified with the use of current strategy and principles of damage control surgery and damage control orthopaedics. Surgical approaches for two-column acetabular fractures have been shown to be extensile and traumatic. Discussion Most authors report use of the active surgical strategy for displaced fractures of the pelvis and acetabulum. Open reduction internal fixation is the standard of care for pelvic and acetabular fractures. Conclusion Postoperative complications and long term rehabilitation of patients with pelvic and acetabular fractures support further research and development of new more effective approaches to address the solution of the challenging issue.

Surgical management of 86 patients with duodenal injuries

Objective To study the early diagnosis, surgical treatment options, prevention and management of complications in patients with duodenal trauma. Methods All patients with duodenal trauma treated operatively from January 2009 to December 2018 were studied retrospectively. Factors including sex, age, cause of injury, AAST grading, diagnostic method, operative procedure, therapeutic effectiveness, complications, and factors related to death were analyzed. The technique consisting of duodenal decompression and jejunal feeding as recommend by the authors were used in severe cases. Results Blunt trauma occurred in 66 of 86 patients (76.7%). The diagnosis of duodenal trauma was made preoperatively based on abdominal signs, peritoneocentesis, and imaging in 32 patients (37.2%). The remaining 54 patients (62.8%), with duodenal injury was detected during emergency laparotomy. All the 86 patients underwent surgical intervention which included simple suturing, pedicled jejunal flap, segmental resection and anastomosis, Roux-en-Y duodenojejunostomy, diverticularization, and Whipple's procedure using the principle of Damage Control Surgery (DCS). Postoperative morbidity occurred in 15 patients (17.4%). There was a high incidence of duodenal (or pancreatic, biliary) fistulae. The overall mortality rate was 12.8% (in 11 patients). The causes of deaths were mainly massive bleeding and poly-trauma. Conclusions To decrease morbidity and mortality rates, early diagnosis and surgical intervention were critical. The choice of surgical treatment procedures should be based on the duodenal trauma grading and whether there were associated injuries. For patients with a combined pancreaticoduodenal trauma, DCS is a wise procedure to adopt. The double-tube gastrostomy technique as recommended by the authors is beneficial to severe cases in decreasing the incidences of postoperative duodenal and jejunal obstruction. Key words: Duodenum; Wounds and injuries; Digestive system surgical procedures; Decompression, Surgical; Enteral nutrition; Postoperative complications