Treating Blast and Explosion Victims: An Overview

Abstract

<p><em>Blast injuries result from explosions that have the capability to cause multisystem, life-threatening injuries in single or multiple victims simultaneously. The injury patterns following such events are a product of the composition and amount of the materials involved, the surrounding environment, delivery method (if a bomb), the distance between the victim and the blast, and any intervening protective barriers or environmental hazards. These types of events present complex triage, diagnostic, and management challenges for the health care provider.</em></p>