Hand VS. Grenade!
This patient was rushed to the hospital with an injury that most of us have only seen on the TV. The incidence occurred in close proximity to the patient, who suffer large lacerations and comminuted fractures but fortunately some vital structures remained intact, leaving the possibility of reconstruction still available to save his hand. Hand grenade blast injuries can cause singular or multiple organ injuries, they are complex to approach and involves various surgical disciplines and extensive radiographic imaging to identify the extent of the damage. This emergency situation is dealt by stabilizing the patients vital signs followed by an extensive reconstructive surgery to allow the patient to regain a proper range of motion, either partial or full.
When I did my service year in the Swedish armed forces as a squadmedic we got to train on various combat wounds in pre-hospital care included grenadewounds. The real struggle was when the abdominal and thoraxarea was wounded. Luckily we never had to use our experience in real life.
Unfortunately my time in the Army I have seen many of these types and worse. We have come along way in both field and trauma care.
