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Table 2 Characteristics of the participating trauma centers that reported using damage control laparotomy more instead of less frequently

From: Variation in use of damage control laparotomy for trauma by trauma centers in the United States, Canada, and Australasia

Characteristic (N = 199 trauma centers)

No. (%) of trauma centers

p value

Reported using DC laparotomy greater than once monthly (n = 73)

Reported using DC laparotomy once monthly or once every 2–3 months (n = 60)

Reported using DC laparotomy less than once every 3 months or never using it (n = 54)

Accredited/verified for treatment ofa

   

0.17

 Adult patients

48 (65.8)

41 (68.3)

39 (72.2)

 

 Adult and pediatric patients

23 (31.5)

13 (21.7)

8 (14.8)

 

 Not accredited/verified—treat adult patients

1 (1.4)

3 (5.0)

2 (3.7)

 

 No accredited/verified—treat adult and pediatric patients

1 (1.4)

3 (5.0)

5 (9.3)

 

ACS-designed level of adult care, n (%)

   

< 0.001

 Level 1

58 (79.5)

20/59 (33.9)

5/52 (9.6)

 

 Level 2

14 (19.2)

33/59 (55.9)

22/52 (43.1)

 

 Level 3

0 (0)

2/59 (3.4)

23/52 (44.2)

 

 Not accredited/verified or other

1 (1.4)

4/59 (6.8)

2/2 (3.9)

 

Geographic location

   

< 0.001

 Urban (within a city)

55/72 (76.4)

28/57 (49.1)

23/52 (44.2)

 

 Suburban (residential area on outskirts of a city)

13/72 (18.1)

24/57 (42.1)

17/52 (32.7)

 

 Rural (outside a city)

4/72 (5.6)

5/57 (8.8)

12/52 (23.1)

 

Teaching center (regularly has resident physicians on the trauma service)

55 (75.3)

30/55 (54.6)

17/49 (34.7)

< 0.001

Participates in research

64 (87.7)

45/58 (77.6)

33/52 (63.5)

0.006

 Local investigator-initiated research

60 (82.2)

39/58 (67.2)

25/51 (49.0)

 

 Multicenter research

53 (72.6)

24/58 (41.4)

20/51 (39.2)

 

 Industry-sponsored research

32 (43.8)

17/58 (29.3)

4/51 (7.8)

 

Designated trauma team

73 (100)

58 (96.7)

51/52 (98.1)

0.28

Designated trauma service

71 (98.6)

54 (90.0)

46/52 (88.5)

0.04

ICU that admits and cares for injured patients

72/72 (100)

59/59 (100)

51/51 (100)

NA

No. trauma patients assessed in last year, median (IQR)

    

 Adult, any ISS score

2326 (1552–3034.5)

1300 (953–1897)

733 (480–1081)

< 0.001

 Adult, ISS score > 15

449.5 (276–743)

257 (171–400)

97 (50.5–189)

< 0.001

 Pediatric, any ISS score

110 (47–360)

86 (39–197)

48 (22–99)

0.009

 Pediatric, ISS score > 15

21.5 (4–50)

10 (1–25)

3 (0.5–6)

< 0.001

High volume trauma centerb

18/66 (27.3)

4/55 (7.3)

0 (0)

< 0.001

Percentage of trauma patients assessed in last year with a penetrating injury, median (IQR)

11.4 (6–17.3)

7.3 (5–10)

4 (2–8)

< 0.001

  1. ACS American College of Surgeons, ICU intensive care unit, IQR interquartile range, ISS injury severity scale
  2. *Denominator of responses is given if different than stated in the column heading. The number of responses in a category may be greater than the column or category total if responses are not mutually exclusive
  3. aTrauma centers in the United States were accredited/verified by the American College of Surgeons; in Canada, the Trauma Association of Canada; and in Australasia, the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
  4. bDefined as a center that assessed > 650 major trauma (ISS > 15) patients in the last year [28]