The surgical patient: Editorial overview

Abstract

The concept of remote organ failure or multiple organ failure was developed in a surgical intensive care unit over 20 years ago. There have been amazing advances in intensive care since then. Many patients who would have developed organ failure and died now survive; however, when multiple organ failure develops, the mortality remains high. Thus, the answer to this problem of multiple organ failure, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, and systemic inflammatory response syndrome is prevention of organ failure by support of organ function. A number of new surgical concepts are introduced to support this approach. The principles of prevention of organ failure are emphasized in this editorial review and in the reviews to follow.