Case 11. A 21 year old male arrives after being stabbed in the right arm during a fight. The patient was, "minding my own business," while watching a boxing match in a local bar when a fight broke out. The patient attempted to block his assailant with his arm and was struck once. He denies other trauma. He arrives to the Emergency Department alert with stable vital signs. After a careful examination, you note a single injury to the right arm as shown, (see figures 1 ,2). The wound is actively bleeding a steady flow of blood warranting a pressure dressing. The wound travels deeply into the soft tissue posterior to the humerus. Passive range of motion of the elbow, wrist and hand is normal. Brachial, radial and ulnar pulses are noted at the elbow and wrist respectively. Grip strength, digital abduction/adduction and wrist flexion are symmetrical to the left but the patient is unable to extend his wrist or digits. The patient describes numbness and is asensate on exam to the dorsal distal forearm and the back of his hand. His wrist and hand 'prefer' the position shown, (see
