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Previous Volume 352:1335-1342 March 31, 2005 Number 13 Next

	Since this article has no abstract, we have provided an extract of the first 100 words of the full text and any section headings.

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Although information about terrorism has emphasized chemical, biologic, and radiation events,^1,2,3,4,5 most terrorist attacks have involved explosive devices. To date, the number of lives lost, the number of people injured, and the consequences on the infrastructure are orders of magnitude higher after explosions⁶ than after chemical or biologic incidents. Nonconventional weapons have been perceived as more dangerous than explosives,^7,8 probably because the effects of explosions are easier to comprehend. This review summarizes the mechanisms and describes the clinical consequences of blast injuries and outlines strategies for the immediate management of trauma and specific effects resulting from blast injuries.

To date, . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Types of Explosions

Conventional Bombs

Enhanced-Blast Explosive Devices

Types of Blast Injuries

Primary Blast Injuries

Secondary Blast Injuries

Tertiary Blast Injuries

Quaternary Blast Injuries

Treatment Strategies

General Considerations and Immediate Treatment

Management of Specific Injuries

Conclusions

Source Information

From the Medical-Surgical Group, Office of Patient Care Services (R.G.D.), and the Office of Public Health and Environmental Hazards (M.J.H.), Veterans Health Administration, Washington, D.C.; and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Md. (D.G.B., H.R.C.).

Address reprint requests to Dr. DePalma at the Office of Patient Care Services, Veterans Health Administration, 810 Vermont Ave. NW, 111B, Washington, DC 20420, or at rgdepalma@mail.va.gov.

Related Letters:

Blast Injuries
Ashkenazi I., Olsha O., Alfici R., Peleg K., Aharonson-Daniel L., Barham M., DePalma R. G., Burris D. G., Champion H. R.
Extract | Full Text | PDF  
N Engl J Med 2005; 352:2651-2653, Jun 23, 2005. Correspondence

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