Here are more links on blast injuries
Explosions and Blast injuries - A Primer for Clinicians
http://www.cdc.gov/masstrauma/preparedness/primer.pdf
Blast Injuries
http://www.rph.wa.gov.au/anaesth/downloads/Blast Injuries (Mr S. Rao).pdf
This is a good description of injuries due to blast. Unfortunately, it's PowerPoint. Not everyone can view it.
www.southbaydrc.org/users/blast.ppt
subscription required. Can someone look at it for me?
http://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMra042083
Page 42
http://books.google.ca/books?hl=en&...vWHuBzK9oNpUvH40rLZTZYQio#v=onepage&q&f=false
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http://archsurg.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/140/11/1068
Results The major cause of morbidity for the September 11, 2001, patients was smoke inhalation (30.0%); followed closely by chemical conjunctivitis and corneal abrasions (16%); lacerations, abrasions, and soft-tissue injuries (15.5%); isolated orthopedic complaints (12%); and psychiatric complaints (10%). Multiple-trauma patients were 3% of the patients seen. There were 5 fatalities at Saint Vincent’s Hospital.
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Blast injuries traditionally are divided into 4 categories: primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary (or miscellaneous) injuries. A patient may be injured by more than one of these mechanisms.1,2
* A primary blast injury is caused solely by the direct effect of blast overpressure on tissue. Air is easily compressible, unlike water. As a result, a primary blast injury almost always affects air-filled structures such as the lung, ear, and gastrointestinal (GI) tract.
* A secondary blast injury is caused by flying objects that strike people.
* A tertiary blast injury is a feature of high-energy explosions. This type of injury occurs when people fly through the air and strike other objects.
* Miscellaneous or quaternary blast injuries encompass all other injuries caused by explosions, such as burns, crush injuries, and toxic inhalations. For example, the crash of two jet airplanes into the World Trade Center only created a relatively low-order pressure wave, but the resulting fire and building collapse killed thousands.
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/822587-overview
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