title: Otologic blast injuries due to the Kenya embassy bombing.
abstract: Otologic injuries are frequently associated with large blasts. On August 7, 1998, a large truck bomb exploded next to the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya. Initial patient findings and care are reviewed. Five months later, an otologic screening and care mission was then sent to comprehensively screen all remaining blast victims on site in Nairobi and to determine degree of persistent injury. Surgical care appropriate for an outpatient environment was provided. Five of 14 tympanic membranes without intervention failed to heal, while 3 of 3 with previous intervention had. Blast injury severity did not correlate to distance from blast epicenter. This may be due to channeling of the blast through the embassy building and an unpredictable pattern of blast overpressure within the building. It is recommended that comprehensive otologic screening be performed after blast events to identify occult injuries and improve outcomes. Early intervention for tympanic membrane perforation (suctioning, eversion of perforations, and paper patch) is recommended.
authors.affiliation: Otolaryngology Service, Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, TX 78235, USA. hellingfamily@gbronline.com
authors.forename: Eric Robert
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Helling
mesh_terms: D001753:Blast Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D004423:Ear / Q000293:injuries*; D003639:Hearing Loss, Sudden / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006320:Hearing Tests; D006801:Humans; D007630:Kenya; D008403:Mass Screening; D017741:Survivors; D023481:Terrorism; D013997:Time Factors; D018058:Tympanic Membrane Perforation / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D014481:United States