Hand injuries due to detonators

Hand injuries due to the explosion of detonators are well known during war time. Similar injuries are sometimes seen in civilian life among munitions and chemical workers or from mining and blasting accidents. In three cases detonator explosions injured usually a single hand, the dominant one, involving the first three fingers only. The wounds were treated by debridement and primary closure, or grafts were used. The need for reconstruction should be kept in mind during debridement and any structure which could be utilized at a later stage be preserved.