

When the blast front strikes a casualty, it creates enormous, near-instantaneous rises in ambient pressure (e.g. Pathophysiology: The leading edge of a blast wave is called the blast front. What are the most common injuries due to Primary Blast Injuries? Delivery method (if a bomb is involved).

Pressure wave intensity declines with the cubed root of distance from the explosion.Distance between the victim and the blast.hard flat surface, impaled on object, etc.) Tertiary injuries are determined by what surface casualty strikes (e.g.Solid surfaces reflect blast waves, therefore, a person standing next to a wall may suffer increased primary blast injury due to reflections, while someone standing behind solid cover may experience less injury.Explosions leading to structural collapse and entrapment produce more orthopedic injuries and can cause crush injuries and compartment syndrome longer extrication time increases mortality.in a building, bus, mine) or underwater have the highest associated mortality

Injuries can include fractures, amputations, lacerations, dislocations, and any type of soft tissue injury.Responsible for the majority of casualties and mortality in many explosions.Terrorist bombers often place screws or other debris in/around bombs.Military explosives are designed to fragment to maximize damage (shrapnel).Debris that is displaced by the blast wind of the explosion and penetrates or interacts with the body surface.Amount and composition of the explosive material (e.g.The extent and pattern of injuries are the result of several factors: What factors affect the Severity of Blast Injuries? A casualty may be injured by one or several mechanisms. What are the Types/Categories of Blast Injuries?īlast injuries (from high-order explosives) are generally categorized as primary to quaternary. Refers to the flow of superheated air that can interact with people and objects and cause injury or damage.

