This book on post-injury multiple organ failure (MOF) offers a comprehensive overview and clinically focused practical guide to treating the condition. MOF is arguably the most difficult complication to manage in polytrauma patients and is responsible for the majority of trauma deaths among patients who survived the first 24 hours after injury. Beyond mortality, it has a major impact on healthcare resource utilization and a persistent negative effect on patients’ long-term reported outcomes.

This book is edited by surgeons who are passionate about the topic, and about optimizing the outcomes for polytrauma patients. Grasping the fascinating pathophysiology of MOF is essential for providing patients with quality early care. Each chapter highlights key learning objectives, historical perspectives, diagnostic and therapeutic pearls, and includes a must-know summary, additional reading suggestions and future research directions. Flowcharts, decision-making guides, summary tables, graphics and clinical photographs help to maximize the learning experience and to ensure readers retain what they’ve learned. The book fills a unique niche area for many specialties dedicated to critical care of polytrauma patients and to their management before and beyond intensive care.

1 Historic perspective and relevant evolutionary landmarks in trauma care.- 2 The definition of postinjury Multiple Organ Failure.- 3 The pathomechanism of postinjury MOF.- 4 Genomic considerations related to postinjury MOF.- 5 The epidemiology of postinjury MOF.- 6 The relevance of traumatic shock and its treatment on the epidemiology of MOF.- 7 The relevance of the timing of surgical interventions.- 8 The population at risk, predictors of MOF.- 9 Postinjury MOF with and without infection.- 10 The principles of treatment, modern therapeutic targets.- 11 Central nervous system.- 12 Respiratory failure.- 13 Cardiac failure.- 14 Liver failure.- 15 Gastrointestinal failure, clinical presentations and treatment.- 16 Kidney failure.- 17 Bone marrow failure.- 18 MOF management in low resource settings.- 19 MOF in pregnancy and its relevance to Eclampsia.- 20 MOF in paediatric patients.- 21Summary of randomised controlled trials with significant effect on MOF outcomes.- 22 Iatrogenic causes leading to MOF.- 23 Short term outcomes, what has changed during the last 40 years?.- 24 Long term outcomes and functional outcomes.- 25 Future directions.