PubMed · 3126419
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R F Bellamy. 1988. A triple amputation.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3126419/
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Explosive blast causes a pattern of injury including primary blast lung, secondary fragment injury and traumatic amputation of limbs. Major traumatic amputation is rare in survivors of bomb blast but common in those who die. The mechanism of such injury has not been previously determined, but must be established if protective measures are to be developed for members of the armed forces. The nature of 41 traumatic amputations in 29 servicemen who survived to reach medical care after blast injury was investigated to determine the anatomical level of amputation and the pattern of soft tissue damage. Joints were an infrequent site of amputation and the tibial tuberosity was a particularly frequent site of lower-limb severance. Comparison of the pattern of injury was made with that seen in ejecting fast-jet pilots, who frequently suffer major flailing injury; there appears to be a substantially different injury distribution. The accepted mechanism of traumatic amputation, avulsion by the dynamic overpressure, is challenged; it is suggested that the shockwave resulting from an explosion is capable of causing at least bone disruption in a limb.
Ninety-five patients with 98 complete or incomplete amputations of digits are reviewed. Three levels are considered according to the bony lesion, zone III being distal to the nail matrix. In this area, artery, nerve and vein repair need special techniques. The use of leeches in the absence of vein repair does not preclude an acceptable survival rate (68%), compared to the overall series (65.5%); however, smoking is detrimental (52%). Distal replantation is a fast and worthwhile procedure providing acceptable sensibility, no PIP limitation and good appearance at the price of a mean 74 days off work.
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