Damage control surgery in neonates: Lessons learned from the battlefield

This case series demonstrates that damage control surgery—a battlefield-derived strategy prioritizing physiologic stabilization over definitive repair—achieved 85% survival in critically ill neonates with NEC and other abdominal emergencies. The approach involved rapid resection with delayed anastomosis, avoiding stomas in most cases while addressing the lethal triad of acidosis, hypothermia, and coagulopathy.