Yet another injury thread

[Zebra Wizard]

Okay, I have a bit of a problem thats been overshadowing my thoughts as I plow through my book.

One of the characters received a serious injury to their hand. More specifically, their hand was pulverized by a hammer, to the point where their bones were fractured into many pieces and some fingers were actually hanging off by the sinews/tendons.

Now with those said fingers removed, what kind of side effects would this person have after their hands were healed, would it even be possible for it to heal or would the whole hand need to be removed?

 

[Droflet]

Another bloody Zebra, just what we need. Oops, did I just say that out loud?
Anyway, ZW, give us some context. Is there magic in this? What sort of medical facilities are available? Can this poor sod get to a doctor? Environment? Depending on many factors infection could be a real issue. If it gets infected it might be time for some GoT surgery. More please.

 

[tinkerdan]

A lot depends on complications and how the damage was obtained and how many bones are dislocated and or broken.
There can be a lot of swelling(from blood and fluids) and if there is too much cuts may be made to relieve the pressure.
There could be dirt and particles in the wound if there are opened areas.

And then there is the level of possible surgery that's available.

In a field situation that has a lot of damage and possible swelling the whole hand might have to go.

In a high level surgical situation they might have enough options to try to save everything, which would involve some intense surgical procedures and the likelihood that there will be lose of movement and nerve function in the fingers if they can save the fingers at all. I'm not sure what level of repair can be done on bones in the fingers today but maybe in the future it could be done.

It could even be a wait and see thing and then involve removal of digits as complication arise and there is threat of losing more than just the fingers.

 

[Zebra Wizard]

ah yes good points. the setting is post-industrial revolution style era before science was really developed, there is a surgeon/doctor that treats the individual almost immediately afterwards, there is elements of magic, but let's say there is no magic involved.

The hand itself was pulverized, so imagine a blacksmith taking a hammer to a hand like they would to a sword, until the whole thing was a bloody mess with multiple fractures. Just think of taking a hammer to a chicken leg.

 

[tinkerdan]

Probably lose the hand.
Sorry.

 

[Droflet]

Yeah, what Tinkerdan said. Unless ... well that's up to you, isn't it?

 

[Zebra Wizard]

Thanks, I just wanted to know how it would recover if it even could under normal circumstances, just so I know IF it did somehow recover whether it required a more magical influence or not to do so.

 

[DCBastien]

I suspect you'd be doing a Lannister prosthetic under those circumstances... to be in with a chance of keeping the hand working you'd need to reset all the bones and probably need to put pins in? I would think... until it healed. You could possibly have basic grip be retained (so could hold a cup) but lose all fine motor control IF you felt like it, but it would be all sort of clumsy mechanical fairground toy claw XD

 

[cgsmith]

If your story is set in the past, before decent medical science, I think it would be plausible that the solution would be amputation. That would leave you with a nice simple stump to deal with. Otherwise you character could suffer from all sorts of debilitating and painful problems. Infection would probably be a big problem, your character is going to have to look after his wound which will impact on his story. I quite like when things like this happen in stories, like when injuries are taken seriously and really affect the characters story - I guess I am just sick of watching people get shot in movies only to pretty much be completely fine from the next scene on wards.

In more modern times I guess people would feel more inclined to try and get him to a doctor. They would have faith that someone somewhere could heal him/her. Infection would still be a problem but one that would be treatable after it began. IDK I've just watched about 11 episodes of the walking dead and all I can see is your character holed up somewhere with a busted hand thinking maybe he could search the local pharmacy for some antibiotics.

Whatever you decide it is worth remembering that the character can be really emotionally affected by the injury. It won't just be a physical thing. A hand is a really important body part and he or she might not even realize how much they needed them until she picks up that rifle to go hunting, or that bow. Or even just tries to fix his/her hair. If there is blame to be given for the injury it could be quite a good source for conflict and such.

Anyhow.

Where do you publish your stories? I just realized that I offer my questionable opinions on here sometimes and I don't really see the finished work.

EDIT: never saw the part about the setting.

I can see the hand being useful for bugger all after treatment like that.

 

[Droflet]

Would your unfortunate character look good with a hook. You see where we're all going with this, right?

 

[Zebra Wizard]

thanks for all the input. It's my WIP, and something of a punishment that happens. I just have to juggle whether he gets the "cool" treatment and gets a nice simple stump and a claw to fit on it, or a repulsive lump of oozing puss and pain.

 

[Droflet]

Ah, yuck. But could work nicely in you story.

 

[Piousflea84]

Hand surgery is one of the most difficult types of surgery, simply because the bones and tendons of the hand are so complex and fragile. Crush injuries are the worst because they mangle all the anatomy. They don't leave easily identifiable cut edges that can be sewn back together. People who suffer sharp hand injuries (like a knife or saw) are more likely to have the finger successfully reattached than people who suffer blunt-force injuries. Even with modern day medicine, major crush injuries almost always require some level of amputation. This could be as small as a fingertip or as large as the entire hand.

Any pre-modern character who gets a hand crushed by a hammer is going to lose the hand... unless magical healing is an option.

Also, a pre-modern character with a "lump of pus and pain" is not going to survive very long unless they have the hand amputated. Chronic infections like diabetic feet and non-healing wounds are a phenomenon of the modern world... in the pre-antibiotic era they would just be dead. Again, this doesn't apply to magically inflicted (or magically stabilized) wounds.

 

[Zebra Wizard]

Also, a pre-modern character with a "lump of pus and pain" is not going to survive very long unless they have the hand amputated. Chronic infections like diabetic feet and non-healing wounds are a phenomenon of the modern world... in the pre-antibiotic era they would just be dead. Again, this doesn't apply to magically inflicted (or magically stabilized) wounds.

Thank you very much, this is the kind of information i really needed. to see how realistic it would be to survive with that injury.

 

[Juliana]

TDZ, my dad got a big toe crushed by a chunk of wall in a freak tornado incident (true story!) and it had to be removed right down to the stump. Even with modern surgery there was lots of pus and swelling, and a lot of pain, besides phantom limb pain for quite a while.