MODS is a severe illness in which someone can die if the dysfunction is not treated immediately.
This article discusses multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, including its causes, symptoms, treatment, and prevention.
People suffer multiple hits during a severe illness.
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The first is the inciting event, such as a major motor vehicle accident ormassive heart attack.
The second is when theimmune systemoverreacts to fix the problem.
Specific disorders are more likely to lead to this dangerous cascade of events and eventual organ dysfunction.
People experience decreased blood flow and oxygen, leading to damage.
Other individual factors that affect the development of MODS include:
People without other health problems often survive MODS.
Symptoms
The severity of MODS is determined by the amount of dysfunction in six main organ systems.
Healthcare providers monitor an organ system through a person’s symptoms and laboratory testing.
Respiratory (Lungs)
People with MODS can develop difficulty breathing due tolungdamage.
Often people need to be placed on aventilatorto help them breathe.
This process becomes evident when a person haslow blood pressurewith a severe illness or injury.
The vessels also become leaky, allowing fluid to collect in the tissues and skin, known asedema.
Slowed blood flow leads to clotting in some body areas, worsening the function of already damaged organs.
These cumulative effects are particularly concerning when the organ affected by the decreased blood flow is theheart.
Decreased blood flow can lead to kidney dysfunction.
In addition, people may needdialysisto get rid of toxins and extra fluid.
The primary sign of renal dysfunction is decreased urine output.
Kidney function can also be made worse by certain medications used during the treatment of MODS.
Hepatic (Liver)
Theliver’s function is to get rid of toxins.
It makes specific proteins necessary for other organ systems to function correctly.
People with MODS and decreased blood flow can developliver failure.
People may look yellow from hepatic dysfunction.
Liver failure can lead to further imbalance inside the body.
This imbalance can simultaneously lead to bleeding andclotting.
The person can develop bruising and color changes to the skin.
They might start bleeding inside the stomach.
People with DIC have a poor prognosis.
Only about half of people with DIC survive.
These changes can also cause various other problems, includingstroke-like symptoms.
Treatment
MODS treatment is multifactorial and depends on the inciting event and pop in of organ damage.
The most common of these systems is a hemodialysis machine that bypasses the kidneys.
A molecular absorbent recirculating system (MARS) can support the liver.
Prevention
There is no particular medication that helps to prevent MODS.
Researchers have investigated ways to treat early MODS to prevent worsening illness, but interventions can be controversial.
Be assured that hospitals and healthcare providers are prepared and trained for emergency events like MODS to occur.
They are very capable of preventing further trauma after an initial incident.
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