Treatment of a teenager who was injured by a grande launcher in enclosed space

BACKGROUND: The performed work is on the front burner because of the increased intensity of terroristic acts with blasting devices directed to the civilian population. Besides, explosive injury is one of the damage to the population in wartime. The present article discusses the management of a teenager in the Children's Republican Clinical Hospital in Saransk (Russia) who was injured with a grenade launcher when he was in enclosed space.

CLINICAL CASE DESCRIPTION: Patient AA (17 y.o., male) was delivered to the hospital with a combined open craniocerebral injury, non-penetrating mine-explosive damage of the scalp, barotrauma, thermal lesion of the scalp and the left half of the face. He was injured by a RPG-18 grenade launcher found in the basement of a residential building. The shot was made inside the car.

CONCLUSION: To know the specific course of explosive injuries is necessary for correct diagnostics and management algorithm. In this particular case, the patient was discharged in 55 hospital days when he was recovering.