Background: Using abdominal packs is often a life-saving technique for uncontrollable bleeding during operations. It prevents worsening of the hypothermia, coagulopathy and acidosis which usually accompanies massive bleeding till they may be corrected and the packs removed later. However, packing may be associated with a mortality of 56 to 82 % due to continued bleeding, intra-abdominal abscesses and the compartment syndrome. We follow a policy of early abdominal packing (considering it after a 6 unit intraoperative blood loss) before the situation becomes irreversible.
Patients and methods: Between January 1997 and September 2008, abdominal packing for uncontrollable bleed was done in 49 patients (M:F 34:15, mean age 43 years) . The risk factors for mortality were nalyzed. The reasons for uncontrollable bleed were : liver trauma (8), liver tumours (3), following liver transplantation 4), pancreatic necrosectomy (17) and miscellaneous causes (17).
Results: There were 16 postoperative deaths (32.7%). On univariate analysis, hypovolaemic shock, a low urine output, raised INR, blood requirement of more than 6 units, hypothermia <340C, metabolic acidosis nd sepsis were associated with an increased mortality. However, on multivariate logistic regression only hypothermia was significantly associated with mortality.
Conclusion: A fair survival rate can be achieved by early and judicious use of abdominal packing especially before hypothermia supervenes.