Circumstances of Injury

I have been serving since 2015 — the military has become an inseparable part of my life. But the events of that day on the outskirts of Kurakhove remain especially vivid.

Our unit was moving from one position to another when we heard the distinct buzzing of an enemy drone overhead. We tried to take cover, but there was almost no time — the drone dropped its payload.

Three of my brothers-in-arms suffered minor shrapnel wounds. I was hit the hardest: the explosion sent fragments into my leg, shattering both bones of the lower leg.
In the first seconds there was shock — a surge of adrenaline, ringing in my ears — but the guys reacted instantly. They grabbed me by the arms, pulled me out of the danger zone, and carried me into the nearest shelter.

There, they provided immediate first aid: applied a tourniquet, stabilized my leg, and prepared me for evacuation. Their speed, composure, and support kept me alive until the medics arrived.

Diagnosis

Comminuted fracture of the lower third of the right tibia with bone loss and retained metallic fragments.

• Comminuted fracture — the bone didn’t break into two pieces, but shattered into multiple fragments. This is a more complex and severe type of fracture.

• Lower third of the tibia — the injury is located in the lower portion of the shinbone, closer to the ankle.

• Bone defect — a portion of the bone was destroyed or blown out by the blast, leaving an area of missing bone.

• Retained metallic fragments — metal shrapnel remained inside the wound after the explosion.

Clinical Decision

Reconstruction of the bone defect in the lower third of the right tibia.

There is a significant bone defect in the right tibia — a portion of the bone was destroyed or blown out by shrapnel.
Because of this missing segment, the bone cannot heal properly on its own.

Bone defect reconstruction means that surgeons will restore the missing part of the bone using one or a combination of the following methods:

• Autograft — bone taken from the patient’s own body.

• Synthetic bone substitutes.

• A combination of grafting techniques.

• Stabilization with metal hardware to ensure proper alignment and healing.