The Evolution of Damage Control in Concept and Practice

Damage control surgery (DCS) began as an adjunct approach to hemorrhage control, seeking to facilitate the body's innate clotting ability when direct repair or ligation was impossible, but it has since become a valuable instrument for a broader collection of critically ill surgical patients in whom metabolic dysfunction is the more immediate threat to life than imminent exsanguination. Modern damage control is a strategy that combines the principles of DCS with those of damage control resuscitation. When used correctly, damage control may improve survival in previously unsalvageable patients; when used incorrectly, it can subject patients to imprudent risk and contribute to morbidity. This review discusses the evolution of damage control in both concept and practice, summarizing available literature and experience to guide patient selection, medical decision-making, and strategy implementation throughout the preoperative, intraoperative, and early postoperative periods.