RESUMEN
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the therapeutical effects through investigating the results of multiple traumas treated by means of damage control surgery (DCS) or early total care (ETC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The clinical data of 90 patients with severe multiple traumas admitted from June 2001 to June 2007 were analyzed retrospectively. Forty-five patients were classified to the DCS group, 45 patients to the ETC group as a control. These severely injured patients were selected with an ISS > 25 points.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Between the two groups, the recovery time of clearance of lactic acid, body temperature, prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) of DCS group was significantly shorter than that of ETC group (P < 0.05). Incidence of complications and mortality in DCS group was significant less than that in ETC group (P < 0.05). No significant differences existed in the volume of bleeding and duration of surgery (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The concept of DCS could reduce multiple traumas patients' mortality rate and incidence of complications. The indication of DCS should be the combination of physical feature, mechanism and severity of injuries.</p>