The extent of tissue damage in missile wounds one and six hours after the infliction of trauma studied by the current method of debridement.

Spherical missiles with velocities around 1000 m/s were used to inflict simultaneously missile trauma to both thighs of pigs. The determination of the impact and exit velocity enabled the extent of energy transferred to the tissues to be calculated. One thigh of each pig was treated surgically within one hour and the other one after a delay of 6 hours after trauma. The surgical procedure consisted of debriding muscle tissue which showed impaired contractility, consistency, discoloration or lack of capillary bleeding--current criteria of non-viability. The amount of debrided muscle tissue at the first operation showed a linear regression versus the extent of energy transfer, whereas after 6 hours no relation could be found between the amount of debrided tissue and energy transfer. There was no significant difference between the amount of debrided tissue per joule of transferred energy when the results of the two operations on each pig were compared.