Dear X-Ray Imaging Insider,
Land mines are perhaps the most pernicious devices of modern warfare. Scattered and buried in copious numbers, they leave a deadly legacy for civilians long after hostilities have ceased. For patients who have suffered the traumatic effects of a land mine blast, x-ray can prove to be one of the more important factors in their treatment and recovery.
Drs. Justin Dodge and James Smirniotopoulos described the three typical patterns of land mine injury and presented radiographic interpretations of each in a poster presentation at the 2002 RSNA conference in Chicago.
According to the presenters, the variety of fragment sizes and materials and the widespread burns and debris make a good radiologic evaluation potentially complementary to both short-term and long-term treatment. Unfortunately, blast injury casualties can average 2.1 surgeries per patient in a field hospital.
Two key predictors of success in primary closure were the time to care (less than six hours) and meticulous debridement -- an area where accurate radiographic interpretation is critical.
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