REVIEW

Orthopedic management in the polytrauma patient

  • Jason J. Halvorson ,
  • Holly T-P. Pilson ,
  • Eben A. Carroll ,
  • Zhongyu John Li
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  • Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Wake Forest Baptist Health, Medical Center Blvd, Winston-Salem, NC 27103, USA

Received date: 14 Jun 2012

Accepted date: 10 Jul 2012

Published date: 05 Sep 2012

Copyright

2014 Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

Abstract

The past century has seen many changes in the management of the polytraumatized orthopedic patient. Early recommendations for non-operative treatment have evolved into early total care (ETC) and damage control orthopedic (DCO) treatment principles. These principles force the treating orthopaedist to take into account multiple patient parameters including hypothermia, coagulopathy and volume status before deciding upon the operative plan. This requires a multidisciplinary approach involving critical care physicians, anesthesiologists and others.

Cite this article

Jason J. Halvorson , Holly T-P. Pilson , Eben A. Carroll , Zhongyu John Li . Orthopedic management in the polytrauma patient[J]. Frontiers of Medicine, 2012 , 6(3) : 234 -242 . DOI: 10.1007/s11684-012-0218-2

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