title: Challenges in management of blast injuries in Intensive Care Unit: Case series and review.
abstract: Blast injuries are rare, but life-threatening medical emergencies. We report the clinical presentation and management of four bomb blast victims admitted in Intensive Care Unit of Trauma center of our hospital in 2011. Three of them had lung injury; hemothorax (2) and pneumothorax (1). Traumatic brain injury was present in only one. Long bone fractures were present in all the victims. Presence of multiple shrapnels was a universal finding. Two blast victims died (day 7 and day 9); cause of death was multi-organ failure and septic shock. Issues relating to complexity of injuries, complications, management, and outcome are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Tanvir
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Samra
authors.affiliation: Safdarjung Hospital, Baba Kharak Singh Marg, Connaught Place, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Mridula
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pawar
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, PGIMER and Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Baba Kharak Singh Marg, Connaught Place, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Jasvinder
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kaur
keywords: Blast lung; bomb blast injuries; clinical presentation; outcome