Plastic surgeons treated 93 fireworks victims last New Year – almost all of them men. This is a significant increase, after the previous New Year’s Eve they treated 62 victims. The Dutch Association for Plastic Surgery (NVPC) announced this on Saturday press release know.
The NVPC specifically mentions “serious injuries, with many young victims and serious hand injuries, often caused by illegal fireworks.” More than two-thirds of the victims were 18 years or younger. With the exception of ten patients, the victim was also the lighter of the fireworks, in 75 percent of the cases they were illegal fireworks. It is striking that 30 percent of the victims who had to be treated by a plastic surgeon were injured before December 30 – fireworks may only be set off from six o’clock in the evening on New Year’s Day.
Plastic surgeon Ernst Smits specializes in accidents involving hands in children and was on duty during New Year’s Eve, until 8 am on January 1. “Officially we are plastic and reconstructive surgeons, we try to save as much as possible. But with illegal fireworks this becomes more difficult. In the past it was often possible to reconstruct a finger, but now the entire hand is often blown away.” The severity of the injury and statements from patients show that it often involves heavier fireworks, although not every patient dares to admit this for fear of being reported to the police.
This New Year, plastic surgeons had to amputate at least twelve almost complete or complete hands. They also saw finger amputations, bone fractures, tendon injuries, burns and serious facial injuries. “And collapsed lungs,” says Smits. “We see them a lot, especially with Cobras. It is sometimes said that this type of fireworks is comparable to a hand grenade – as a kind of metaphor – but it really is.”
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Upon arrival, victims are treated as if they had actually dealt with a hand grenade, he says. “We will look at the intestines, a possible collapsed lung, the eyes, whether the pressure of the blow has broken the eardrums – only then will we discuss it.” They try to save what can be saved as best and as quickly as possible. “We often give tissue the benefit of the doubt, we try to preserve it, but sometimes we still have to decide to remove more two days later.”
This year, as in previous years, there were still victims on January 1. “Our work is largely done,” says Smits. “Now the hand therapists, physiotherapists, social workers, psychologists are coming. The plastic surgeon is only a small part in the chain, what comes next is actually more important for recovery.” Because how do you open your pants with one hand? How can you game? “The latter is important for the young generation of victims.” The more motivated a victim, the greater the chance of recovery, says Smits.
If Smits had had a crystal ball, he would have liked to look into it to see how things will go next year, in view of the fireworks ban. “Hopefully we will have a quiet service next year.”
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