Circumstances of the Injury:

Serhii was holding his position near Avdiivka when a relentless mortar barrage began. Enemy drones circled overhead, adjusting fire and guiding each strike with deadly accuracy. One shell after another rained down — their screeches and blasts leaving no space for safety, no moment to breathe.

Then, a shell exploded terrifyingly close. Shrapnel tore through Serhii’s left leg and shoulder, and the force of the blast caused his lung to collapse.

When he regained consciousness, Serhii was alone — helpless, bleeding, and barely able to move. The pain coursed through his entire body, but the most terrifying realization was this: the road to survival would mean crawling through the very heart of war.

Lying on rain-soaked earth, he began to drag himself toward his fellow soldiers, hoping they could apply tourniquets to stop the bleeding. Every inch forward felt endless. Blood mixed with the mud and rain, and one thought pounded in his head over and over:
“My family can’t see this hell. I have to make it out.”

Medical Diagnosis

Serhii suffered a devastating gunshot injury to his lower left leg. The upper part of his tibia (the main bone in the lower leg) was shattered into multiple fragments by shrapnel. Some bone pieces shifted out of place, while others were completely destroyed or lost. The injury also damaged nearby blood vessels and nerves, adding further complications.

Because of the severity of the wound, Serhii developed:

• A chronic post-traumatic bone infection (called osteomyelitis), with an open draining wound that won’t fully heal on its own.

• A consolidated fracture — meaning the bone has started to heal, but abnormally and with serious complications.

• A bone defect — a section of missing or non-healing bone.

• A temporary antibiotic cement spacer was inserted to fill the missing part of the bone and help fight infection.

This is not just a broken bone — it’s a life-altering injury that left Serhii’s leg structurally unstable, chronically infected, and in constant pain. Treatment is long, expensive, and requires advanced surgery to save the limb and restore basic function.

Clinical Decision:

Tibial osteosynthesis using a lateral support plate with bone grafting.

In simple terms:

• The tibia — the main bone in the lower leg — will be surgically stabilized using a metal plate, attached to the outer side of the upper part of the bone, near the knee.

• This support plate will hold the shattered bone fragments in place and help bear weight while the leg heals.

• At the same time, doctors will perform a bone graft — using either the patient’s own bone or a medical substitute — to fill in the missing section and promote healing.

This surgery is essential to:

• restore stability to the leg,

• prevent further infection,

• and give the chance to walk again without constant pain or the risk of losing the limb.