Unexploded Ordnance Management

Surgical removal of an impaled unexploded mortar shell into the chest: Case review from a war-zone

INTRODUCTION AND SIGNIFICANCE

The surgical removal of unexploded mortar shells is rarely documented in the literature. Since most cases occur within war or conflict regions, reporting such instances is vital for optimizing and enhancing surgical practices, particularly in low-resource settings.

CASE PRESENTATION

We report the case of a 35-year-old man who sustained an injury from a 60 mm unexploded mortar shell, penetrating the patient's right posterior chest in the right paravertebral region of the 4th thoracic vertebra, causing intrathoracic injuries, multiple rib fractures, and a right pneumothorax. The patient was immediately resuscitated and transferred to the operating room. The projectile was removed without direct contact with metal instruments. A right chest tube was then inserted and the injured area was repaired, resulting in an uneventful postoperative recovery.

CLINICAL DISCUSSION

Unexploded mortar shell injuries are infrequently documented in the literature. These injuries are seen within war and conflict regions, that have limited accessibility or availability of experienced explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) teams, transporting personnel, and equipped and separated operating theaters.

CONCLUSION

Unexploded ordnance and munitions represent an underrecognized and underreported health risk to patients, healthcare providers, and healthcare facilities. These injuries are commonly encountered within regions that lack experienced transport and EOD staff. The need for the establishment of such experienced teams along with providing adequate training for healthcare providers is necessary.

A Unique Emotional Surgery: Removal of Unexploded Ordnance in a Patient With Vascular Injury

Cases of embedded unexploded ordnance are extremely rare and pose a risk to bystanders and health providers. A patient arrived at the Role 2 medical facility in the Turkish army, whose left arm was amputated due to a terrorist attack and major hemorrhages had been halted by clamping of the left subclavian artery and vein. A piece of metal wire running from the lateral chest wall was detected as an unexploded ordnance piece and it was removed surgically. In these challenging cases, safety principles should be acknowledged. Highlighting the basic precautions is important for similar scenarios and increases awareness of the utmost importance.