title: Effect of body armor on simulated landmine blasts to cadaveric legs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Antipersonnel landmine protective footwear relies on blast deflection or on exaggerated standoff between the foot and the explosive. Neither design has been tested for clinical effectiveness.
  
  
  METHODS
  4 cadaveric lower extremities--3 fitted with a Koflach boot incorporating TABRE (Technology for Attenuating Blast Related Energy) were subjected to controlled blast with charges of up to 100 g trinitrotoluene (TNT). The blasts were recorded by a digital recording system. All legs were X-rayed and underwent computed tomography scanning before and after testing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  TABRE-protected limbs directly subjected to the blast hyperextended at the knee during firing. Injuries showed a pattern of open tibial fractures (Gustilo grade I, II), of multiple calcaneal (Sanders Type III, IV), and fibular fractures and of the tibial plateau, but showed no traumatic amputation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Development of protective footwear against landmine blast is feasible. From medium mines up to charges of 100 g TNT limb salvage may be possible.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Austrian Armed Forces Hospital-Vienna, Austria. klausswolff@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Klaus S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Wolff
authors.forename: Alexander M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Prusa
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wibmer
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rankl
authors.forename: Wilhelm
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Firbas
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Teufelsbauer
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000673:Amputation, Traumatic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001753:Blast Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002102:Cadaver; D006801:Humans; D007869:Leg Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D011481:Protective Clothing; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014857:Warfare