Leningrad Research Institute for Prosthetics during the Great Patriotic War and the city blockade

Introduction The archives, which include 670 medical cases filed at the Leningrad Research Institute for Prosthetics (LNIIP) during the siege of the city, is unique for understanding the specific scope of medical work during the tragic time of the Great Patriotic war. The purpose of the study was to analyze the activities of the Leningrad Research Institute for Prosthetics in the besieged Leningrad during the Great Patriotic war. Methods The analysis of the LNIIP archives using the methods of content analysis, deduction, induction and synthesis was carried out. 670 cases related to the time of the Great Patriotic war were studied. Statistical data processing was performed. Results The LNIIP hospital worked as a front-line evacuation station from 01.09.1941 to 30.12.1942 and treated a total of 1,221 patients. 131 medical records of military officers and soldiers treated there during that period were found. The reason for hospitalization in 65 % of those patients was the consequences of shrapnel wounds, gunshot and mine explosion injuries were less frequent. In the period from 25.05.1943 to 19.06.1945, there were 539 medical records of civilians. In 51 % of the cases, the reason for hospitalization was shrapnel wounds, gunshot and mine explosion wounds and only 2 % were pre-war cases. Discussion The nature of injuries the civilian population of the besieged Leningrad did not differ from that of the front-line soldiers. The front passed right through the besieged city, and its inhabitants were soldiers of that front. 1428 medical interventions were performed including 31 % of operative plasty procedures (re-amputation, skin and bone grafting, amputation) and 32 % were surgical interventions. 356 individuals were provided with prostheses, 10 with orthopedic devices, and 48 with orthopedic shoes. Preparation for prosthetic fitting was complicated by avitaminosis, dystrophy, and scurvy. The work of LNIIP in the extreme conditions of the war and blockade is a vivid example of the contribution of medical workers to the victory of the whole country. The experience of organizing a medical hospital in special conditions has not lost its relevance today.