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We present our experience in the treatment of war wounds in 174 patients treated in the Institute of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Clinical Hospital Center in Zagreb. The wounds were divided into four categories depending on the type of injury and the extension of the soft tissue defect which showed the differences in primary excision and reconstruction of wounds. Patients were placed in one of two groups depending on their primary treatment and time of definitive reconstruction. Group A comprised 79 patients who were initially treated by plastic surgeons and whose reconstructive procedure was done within five days. Group B comprised 95 patients who were initially treated in a field hospital and referred later to the plastic surgery unit for definitive reconstruction more than five days after the injury. Sixty-nine (87%) of the patients in group A had only one or two debridements before definitive closure and stayed in hospital 20 days or less. In group B, 59 (62%) of the patients required three or more debridements before definitive closure and remained in hospital more than 21 days (p < 0.001). Proper primary treatment and early reconstruction result in significantly shorter duration of hospital stay and lead to more effective rehabilitation and recovery of the patients. A knowledge in terminal ballistics is important in the understanding of the pathophysiology of war wounds.

Fascia has a well vascularized surface, and when it is covered with a split skin graft, it provides the thinnest possible flap. The authors present their own experience with the use of the forearm septofascial flap in 23 patients. A free septofascial flap was used in 15 patients and an island flap in 8 patients. Seven days later, only 25% of the patients had complete take of the split skin graft, while in 60% of the cases, there was only partial take of the graft. The results at 6 months, regarding appearance of the flap and donor site, were good. In 2 patients, a composite osteofascial flap was used for reconstruction of the mandible. In those patients, the viability of the bone was assessed with scintigraphy. There were no significant complications with the donor site. The forearm septofascial flap proved to be a good and reliable method of reconstruction in those parts of the body where thin cover was required. Constant anatomy and minimal postoperative complications are great advantages of the forearm septofascial flap when compared with other fascial flaps.A large number of assorted free flaps are now available for use in plastic and reconstructive surgery. Unfortunately, the results are not always satisfactory, particularly in areas with thin, soft tissue cover, e.g. hand, lower leg and foot. Even very thin flaps are sometimes too bulky in such cases.Fox [12] and Erol [9] described a method of vascularizing skin grafts using temporalis fascia which was then pedicled as a flap. Smith [32] and Brent [4] used fascia in combination with a free skin graft for reconstruction