Table 3. DCO patients’ descriptive statistics.
ACLR: anterior cruciate ligament rupture; AVN: avascular necrosis; B: bilateral; C: cervical; DCO: damage control orthopedics; ETC: early total care; EXFIX: external fixation; FX: fracture; GA: Gustillo-Anderson; GSW: gunshot wound; I&D: irrigation and debridement; IMN: intramedullary nail; ISS: injury severity score; MC: metacarpal; MT: metatarsal; MVA: motor vehicle accident; OA: osteoarthritis; ORIF: open reduction and internal fixation; PF: percutaneous fixation; R: right; T: thoracic; UTI: urinary tract infection; VAC: vacuum assisted closure
| Gender | Age | Injuries | ISS | Cause | Initial care | Final care | Duration between initial and final care (days) | ICU stay (days) | Hospital stay (days) | Complications |
| F | 17 | Closed pelvic fx (“open book”), T2-T4 fx, L2-L3 fx, degloving injury of the R foot | 25 | MVA | ExFix for pelvis fx (one hour after arrival at the ER) | No further treatment regarding the pelvis; skin coverage by plastics for degloving injury elsewhere; no bracing method was required | - | - | 11 | - |
| M | 50 | R open (GA-II) distal tibial fx, L open ankle dislocation | 18 | MVA | Uniplanar ExFix for B tibial fx (30 minutes after arrival at the ER) | Transferred to tertiary hospital for definitive treatment after initial stabilization | - | - | 6 | - |
| M | 55 | R closed distal femoral fx w intra-articular involvement, L closed diaphyseal femoral fx | 9 | MVA | ORIF for R femur fx and uniplanar ExFix for L femur fx (three hours after arrival at the ER) | IMN for L femur | 19 | 9 days | 19 | Hardware breakage (screws) in R femur a year later (removal) |
| M | 42 | R closed distal femoral fx, L open (GA-IIIa) diaphyseal tibial fx | 18 | MVA | Uniplanar ExFix for tibial fx (three hours after arrival at the ER) | ORIF of R femur and IMN of L tibial | 25 days for tibial fx; four days for femoral fx | - | 15 | - |
| M | 44 | R open (GA-II) distal tibial fx w intra-articular involvement, L closed calcaneal fx | 18 | MVA | Multiplanar ExFix for tibial fx and PF for calcaneum (one hour after arrival at the ER) | No further treatment | - | - | 18 | - |
| M | 69 | L open (GA-II) distal tibial fx w intra-articular involvement, L closed diaphyseal clavicular fx, L 8-9th rib fx | 22 | Fall | Uniplanar ExFix for tibial fx, sling (30 minutes after arrival at the ER) | Ankle fusion w plate | 8 | - | 16 | Deep wound infection after the definitive treatment; UTI |
| M | 47 | R open (GA-I) distal humeral fx, open abdominal and thoracic injuries ( mesenteric ischemia and multiple lung contusions | 50 | GSW | Uniplanar ExFix for humeral fx and laparotomy (three hours after arrival at the ER, immediately after the laparotomy) | Transferred to a tertiary hospital after initial stabilization for a cardiothoracic team in order to receive definitive treatment for the thoracic injuries | - | Two days | 2 | Septic shock in the ICU recovered and was transferred after initial stabilization |
| M | 56 | L open (GA-II) distal femoral fx w intra-articular involvement and communication | 13 | Fall | Uniplanar ExFix for femoral fx (one hour after arrival at the ER) | ORIF | 21 | - | 28 | Deep wound infection (I&D) after the definitive treatment; hardware breakage months after the ORIF |
| M | 53 | L closed distal femoral and L proximal tibial fx w intra-articular involvement (“floating knee”), L closed ankle fx, L scapular fx, C7-T2 fx, thoracic cage contusion | 18 | MVA | Bridging ExFix, cervical brace (one hour after arrival at the ER) | Transferred to tertiary hospital after initial stabilization in the ICU | - | 10 days | 10 | - |
| F | 87 | R closed proximal femoral fx, R open (GA-IIIa) diaphyseal tibial fx, L scapular fx, T2-T3 fx, T11fx, retropharyngeal hematoma, pulmonary and brain contusion | 38 | MVA | Long G-nail and uniplanar ExFix for tibial fx (12 hours after arrival at the ER) | Transferred to tertiary hospital after initial stabilization in the ICU | - | 10 days | 10 | - |
| M | 42 | B open (GA-II) diaphyseal tibial fx, R closed diaphyseal humeral fx | 18 | MVA | ExFix for B tibial fx, cast for humerus (three hours after arrival at the ER) | No further treatment | - | 15 days | 44 | - |
| M | 61 | L open (GA-II) distal femoral fx, R closed distal femoral fx w intra-articular involvement, L closed shoulder dislocation, closed pelvic fx, T2 fx, multiple L rib fx, mesenteric hemorrhage | 50 | MV | Bridging ExFix for B femoral fx, exploratory laparotomy (three hours after arrival at the ER, immediately after the laparotomy) | IMN for L and R femur | 60 | 40 days | 37 | Septic shock in the ICU two days after the initial trauma |
| M | 72 | R open (GA-I) distal tibial fx, R medial malleolar fx, R zygomatic fx | 22 | MVA | multiplanar ExFix for tibial fx and PF for malleolar fx (one hour after arrival at the ER) | IMN | 28 | - | 14 | Loss of reduction (10 days after initial DCO) |