Titolo della tesi: ORGAN DONATION AFTER TRAUMA: A CLUSTER ANALYSIS
This study aimed to evaluate the impact of Damage Control Strategies (DCS) on organ donation outcomes in trauma patients. The project began with a retrospective single-center cohort study of 30 trauma patients who underwent DCS, assessing the organ-per-donor ratio. Following this, we expanded into a multicenter study involving three trauma centers over a ten-year period. Utilizing a machine learning approach, specifically cluster analysis, the study identified two distinct groups of trauma donors: those who underwent DCS and those who did not. The primary goal was to compare the quantity and quality of organs retrieved between these groups. Results indicated that DCS, despite the severity of trauma and the aggressive nature of resuscitation, significantly improved the number of viable organs donated, particularly from younger patients with multi-system injuries. The findings underscore the importance of implementing and standardizing DCS across trauma centers to enhance donor potential and organ viability. Additionally, better integration of trauma networks with organ donation networks and the establishment of a trauma donor registry are recommended to optimize outcomes and reduce time-to-donation.