Mine Blast Injuries - Our Experience.

Area of Science:

• Trauma Surgery
• Blast Injury Management
• Military Medicine

Background:

• Mine blast injuries present a significant challenge due to their increasing incidence and severity.
• Prompt identification and management are crucial for patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze cases of mine blast injuries sustained during mining and demining operations.
• To highlight the challenges and effective management strategies for mine blast injuries.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 27 mine blast injury cases over 13 months.
• Evaluation of injury patterns, surgical interventions, and patient outcomes.

Main Results:

• Feet and legs were the most commonly affected body regions, with multiple injuries from splinters also noted.
• 14 patients required below-knee (BK) amputation, and 4 required through-knee (TK) amputation.
• Aggressive debridement and open stump amputation were critical in preserving life and limb, with most cases needing 2-5 debridements.

Conclusions:

• Mine blast injuries result in severe physical and psychological trauma, often necessitating difficult surgical interventions and amputation.
• Aggressive debridement, repeated wound inspections under anesthesia, and timely definitive closure are key to maximizing limb and life salvage.