Treatment of open tibial shaft fracture with soft tissue and bone defect caused by aircraft bomb--case report.

INTRODUCTION: Aircraft bombs can cause severe orthopaedic injuries. Tibia shaft fractures caused by aircraft bombs are mostly comminuted and followed by bone defects, which makes the healing process extremely difficult and prone to numerous complications. The goal of this paper is to present the method of treatment and the end results of treatment of a serious open tibial fracture with soft and bone tissue defects resulting from aircraft bomb shrapnel wounds. CASE OUTLINE: A 26-year-old patient presented with a tibial fracture as the result of a cluster bomb shrapnel wound. He was treated applying the method of external bone fixation done two days after wounding, as well as of early coverage of the lower leg soft tissue defects done on the tenth day after the external fixation of the fracture. The external fixator was removed after five months, whereas the treatment was continued by means of functional plaster cast for another two months. The final functional result was good. CONCLUSION: Radical wound debridement, external bone fixation of the fracture, and early reconstruction of any soft tissue and bone defects are the main elements of the treatment of serious fractures.

[Penetrating injury of the lungs and multiple injuries of lower extremities caused by aircraft bombs splinters].

INTRODUCTION: Injuries caused by aircraft bombs cause severe damages to the human body. They are characterized by massive destruction of injured tissues and organs, primary contamination by polymorph bacterial flora and modified reactivity of the body. Upon being wounded by aircraft bombs projectiles a victim simultaneously sustains severe damages of many organs and organ systems due to the fact that a large number of projectiles at the same time injure the chest, stomach, head and extremities. CASE REPORT: We presented a patient, 41 years of age, injured by aircraft bomb with hemo-pneumothorax and destruction of the bone and soft tissue structures of the foot, as well as the treatment result of such heavy injuries. After receiving thoracocentesis and short reanimation, the patient underwent surgical procedure. The team performed thoracotomy, primary treatment of the wound and atypical resection of the left lung. Thoracic drains were placed. The wounds on the lower leg and feet were treated primarily. Due to massive destruction of bone tissue of the right foot by cluster bomb splinters, and impossibility of reconstruction of the foot, guillotine amputation of the right lower leg was performed. Twelve days after the wounding caused by cluster bomb splinters, soft tissue of the left lower leg was covered by Tirsch free transplant and the defect in the area of the left foot was covered by dorsalis pedis flap. The transplant and flap were accepted and the donor sites were epithelized. Twenty-six days following the wounding reamputation was performed and amputation stump of the right lower leg was closed. The patient was given a lower leg prosthesis with which he could move. CONCLUSION: Upon being wounded by aircraft bomb splinters, the injured person sustains severe wounds of multiple organs and organ systems due to simultaneous injuries caused by a large number of projectiles. It is necessary to take care of the vital organs first because they directly threaten the life of the wounded patient. Despite adequate surgical treatment of war wounds of the feet, because of massive defect of bone and soft tissue, amputation may be the only rational solution of the treatment. The resection of the lung may be succesfull method for the severe destruction of the lung.

[Treatment of multiple fractures in a patient wounded by aircraft bombing].

INTRODUCTION: Aircraft cluster bombs can cause severe fractures characterized by extensive destruction of affected tissues and organs. CASE OUTLINE: We present the methods and results of treatment of multiple fractures (left supracondilar humeral fracture, comminuted fracture of the distal right tibia, fracture of right trochanter major without dislocation and fracture of the right second metacarpal bone) in a 24-year old soldier after multiple wounding by a cluster bomb. After short pre-operative preparation a surgical debridement of all wounds was done in general anaesthesia and the fractures of the humerus and tibia were stabilized with the Mitkovic-type external fixator after adequate reposition. For the reconstruction of bone defect of the tibia we used the method of bone transport using the Ilizarov external fixator. CONCLUSION: Radical wound debridement, abundant rinsing, leaving the wound open, administration of antibiotics and antitetanus immunization, external fixation and early reconstruction of soft tissue and bone defects are the basic elements of the treatment of serious fractures caused by war injuries and aimed at saving the extremities.

[Fasciocutaneous perforators of the lower leg--anatomic study and clinical significance].

BACKGROUND/AIM: Soft tissue defects of the lower leg, especially in its distal third, still remain a challenging problem in reconstructive surgery. The aim of this study was to examine septocutaneous system of lower leg vascularization, quantitatively and qualitatively, which is the basis of fasciocutaneous and neurocutaneous flaps. METHODS: Septocutaneous systems a. tibialis posterior and a. peroneae were examined by anatomical suprafascial lower leg microdissection of 40 fresh cadavers. Septocutaneous perforators located intermusculary, in deep crural fascia duplicature, were followed from its origin (at main arterial trunks of the lower leg) till the point they reach the deep crural fascia. The number and localization of emergence of the septocutaneous perforators were examined for both above mentioned arterial trunks, and the obtained data were documented by photographs, tables and graphics. Statistical analysis (especially cluster analysis), was used for establishing reliable septocutaneous perforators levels. RESULTS: Septocutaneous perforator systems of the lower leg have constant and reliable pattern of existance. Lower leg length was 36 cm in average, (between 33 and 43 cm). Lower leg was divided in 10 equal segments, 3.6 cm each. A. tibialis posterior and a. peronea had 5 septocutaneous perforators. Cluster analysis of a. tibialis posterior perforators (with diameter > or = 0.5 mm), discovered 5 reliable levels of septocutaneous perforators. These levels are at 3.6-10.8 cm; 14.4--21.6 cm and 25.2-28.8 cm. For a. peronea reliable perforators were found at 3.6-10.8 cm, 14.4--18 cm and 21.6-25.2 cm. Posterior tibial artery perforators had the greatest diameter (from 0.5-1.8 mm; mean value 1.14 mm and SD = 0.26 mm). A mean diameter for peroneal artery perforators was 0.9 mm. Conclusion. Existance of reliable levels of septocutaneous perforators of the lower leg enables and makes reconstruction of the soft tissue defects of the lower leg, especially its distal third and foot, much easier.

[Fasciocutaneous flaps in the treatment of soft tissue defects of the lower leg caused by explosive war injuries]. / Fasciokutani reznjevi u zbrinjavanju defekata mekih tkiva potkolenice nastalih kao posledica dejstva ratnih eksplozivnih sredstava.

The use of fasciocutaneous flaps for the reconstruction of lower leg soft-tissue defects inflicted during the bombing of our country is presented in this case report. The experience with 9 patients with soft-tissue defects of the lower leg is presented with the aim of examining the possibilities of war-wound reconstruction. The results of the earlier use of fasciocutaneous flaps in the lower leg reconstruction as well as the those obtained during the reconstruction of the lower leg soft-tissue defects in war wounds was proven to be safe and reliable method of the reconstructions of severe lower leg injuries, particularly of its distal segment and the malleolus region.