A novel approach used for reconstruction of facial blast wound injury – a case report from the Russo-Ukrainian war

Abstract

The current Russo-Ukrainian war has seen the return of similar patterns seen in the First World War. The aim is to demonstrate a case of facial reconstruction using a rotational f lap to highlight the utility of dynamic digital thermography (DDT) and handheld Doppler. A 41-year-old soldier suffered a fragmentation injury to the right half of his upper lip from artillery fire in Eastern Ukraine. Dynamic digital thermography and Doppler were used pre-, intra-, and postoperatively to monitor the clinical status of the rotational f lap. The patient made an excellent recovery and was discharged on postoperative Day 7. Dynamic multimodal monitoring of the wound throughout the reconstruction aids clinical decision-making, especially when access to computed tomography is limited. This novel application of existing technology may have relevance for military or humanitarian surgeons who must be prepared to deal with significant injuries without access to cross-sectional imaging.