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Medical Diagnosis:

• Open frx L. Tibia
• Open frx L. Fibula
• Debridement
• IM Rodding L. Tibia
• Fasciotomy
• Split Thickness Skin Graft

Materials

• 72 surgical staples
• 50 internal dissolving sutures
• 24 external sutures

As for a quick background of the accident.. Here goes. An 80 year old man slammed into the side of me as he was trying to make an illegal left turn. He was cited at the scene for failure to yield right of way, and for improper turn. The result of his idiotic and illegal driving was 2 open fractures (tibia and fibula) as well as a handful of nasty complications.

While being treated in the ER, the doctors noticed an abnormally large amount of swelling in my leg. They quickly diagnosed compartment syndrome (they told me a few days later that if they had waited another hour or two, amputation may have been the only choice) and rushed me into surgery. I was put completely under, and when I woke back up I had a large titanium rod holding my tibia together, a few screws to cinch that down, and a HUGE open wound on the outside of my leg. Apparently this hole was created when the doctors opened me up to relieve some of the pressure, but damn is it ugly.

They left the wound wrapped in gauze for 4-5 days until the skin graft surgery. They took 2 sheets of skin from my upper thigh and filled the hole that they created.

Things appear to be quasi-healthy, but it looks positively disgusting. I am really hoping that there is some way to close the wound over the ugly skin graft, or do some much more creative plastic surgery. I really don't understand why they can't fix me up any better. I mean if I had walked into the plastic surgeon's and told him that I was unhappy with my nose, he'd basically cut it off and build me a new one.. Well why the hell can't they fix my leg!

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Editor's Notes:

So here's a little Thanksgiving treat for you. If you have nothing else at least you can be thankful that this hasn't happened to you. Unless it has happened to you, then you can be glad you still have your leg, unlike that turkey you just ate.

Wow, everything has a web site now. Here's one dedicated to Compartment syndrome. And here's one in Regular English™.

Now here's an article about the two different types of skin grafts, split thickness and full thickness. I will now attempt to link these two brief, Regular English™ articles together to answer the question you posed. Keep in mind that I am not a doctor. I am not a health professional of any kind. I know as much about Compartment Syndrome and Skin Grafts as is in the first few paragraphs of those articles. I can't even look when I get a shot. Take everything I say as an uneducated guess.

Having disclaimed myself completely, here's what we know from those articles. Compartment Syndrome is a problem where pressure restricts the blood flow to the muscles. The skin graft article says that they use split thickness grafts in areas where blood supply is limited because it has a better chance of surviving. If the Compartment Syndrome is restricting the blood flow, then the split thickness graft is in order. But the skin graft article does mention of split thickness grafts that "their final appearance can be a disappointment."

Not an answer as to whether you can get it fixed, but might answer why they did that strange looking graft...may have been your leg's only chance.

Here's a nice little set of notes about motorcycle accident response that has some good tips in it. If you ride with friends (and who doesn't?), then you owe it to them to learn some of the things in that article. My favorite part? When trying to re-assure an accident victim..."If your name is something like ``Chainsaw'' or ``Mega-death'', tell them your name is John." Also good advice if you are meeting a girl's folks for the first time....try to re-assure them a little.

Photos:
Cut- opened him up
Exit wounds- leg bone's connected to the asphalt
Donor Area- the poor donor area always gets the shaft
Skin Graft- human quilt