Late presentation with whole limb gangrene following open traumatic hemipelvectomy

Traumatic hemipelvectomy is a rare type of devastating injury with a very high mortality rate and often the result of high energy transfer trauma. Most patients, who survive this injury, do so on the basis of prompt and immediate advanced medical care. Abdominal and pelvic visceral injuries are frequently seen in those cases that survive. We present an unusual case of a 17-year-old patient who survived this injury after presenting 4 days following a motor cycle crash with whole limb gangrene and clinical evidence of septicaemia and without associated abdominal and pelvic visceral injury. She had successful management of her wound and was rehabilitated with axillary crutches and without a prosthetic limb due to financial constraints. The possible mechanism of injury was reviewed and peculiarities of management of this case in our environment were highlighted.