Prosthetics and orthotics international
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The medical records of 186 patients seeking treatment for landmine injuries in the authors' region between 1993 and 2001 were evaluated. Of these patients 13 died of accompanying complications. Ten (10) patients with general body trauma and upper limb trauma were excluded from the study. ⋯ In crush injuries such as those resulting from landmines, soft tissue, vascular, and neurological assessment must be performed with utmost care. Even so, the desired success in interventions intended to save a limb is complicated by a high infection rate, soft tissue complications, and high revision amputation rates. Therefore, a decision to amputate in the early term based on an accurate preoperative assessment is crucial.