Lower limb salvage surgery using ilizarov circular external frame for a landmine injury about the knee

Limb salvage for severe trauma has been replaced amputation as the primary treatment in many trauma centers. however,the long-term outcomes after limb reconstruction or amputation have not been fully evaluated. in this report,we present the treatment results of limb salvage surgery using ilizarov external circular frame in a male case who had a-22-cm bone loss on the left distal femur and left proximal tibia and large soft tissue defect around the knee due to stepping on a landmine with his knee. the decision to amputate a severely injured limb,being irreversible,is challenging and significantly affects the body image and the patient. extremity salvage surgery should be considered initially when evaluating patients with high-energy injured limbs at high risk for amputation.