Your answer:
Continue to debride the area, taking viable tissue until the
contamination is completely removed. Then close the wound.
Further exploration and excision of contaminated areas results in a loss of some of the hypothenar musculature. No contamination remains at the time of wound closure.
Several months later, the patient returns and complains of a loss of some of the function in the left hand. He states that he spoke with one of the radiation physicists in the plant about the incident. Calculations showed that he would have received an additional 15 R to the region over the remainder of his life from the contamination. This small additional radiation burden would have been acceptable to him rather than a slight loss of function in the area.
Several days later, after obtaining legal consul, the patient wonders why such unnecessary surgery was performed. An evaluation of the remaining activity whould have shown that further excision was unnecessary. The patient is dissatisfied with his care and pursues further legal actions..