Frontline Orthopedic Care for Hand Injuries

Abstract

Injuries to the hand in the combat environment can range from trivial, small lacerations to extensive-, explosive-type injuries, leaving the hand and upper extremity mangled. With the improved personal protective equipment and advances in vehicles, morbidity and mortality on the battlefield have been greatly improved. However, the extremities remain vulnerable to injury. Although many of these injuries can appear quite daunting on first inspection, it is important to keep a very systematic approach to examining the hand. The goal of initial treatment is to:

The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not reflect the official policy of the Department of the Navy, Department of Defense, or the US Government. No benefits in any form have been received or will be received from a commercial party related directly or indirectly to the subject of this article.