title: Blast injury: impact on brain and internal organs.
abstract: Blast trauma can kill or injure by multiple different mechanisms, not all of which may be obvious on initial presentation. Patients injured by blast effects should be treated as having multisystem trauma and managed according to Advanced Trauma Life Support guidelines. For the most severely injured patients, damage control resuscitation should be practiced until definitive hemorrhage control has been achieved. Patients with blast injuries may present in mass-casualty episodes that can overwhelm local resources. This article reviews some specific injuries, as well as the importance of mild traumatic brain injury. The importance of rehabilitation is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Division of Trauma and Surgical Critical Care, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 1211 21st Avenue South, 404 Medical Arts Building, Nashville, TN 37212-1750, USA. Electronic address: richard.n.lesperance@vanderbilt.edu.
authors.forename: Richard N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Lesperance
authors.affiliation: Division of Trauma and Surgical Critical Care, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 1211 21st Avenue South, 404 Medical Arts Building, Nashville, TN 37212-1750, USA; Department of Surgery, Tennessee Valley VA Medical Center, 1310 24th Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37212-1750, USA.
authors.forename: Timothy C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Nunez
mesh_terms: D001753:Blast Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D000070642:Brain Injuries, Traumatic / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000628:therapy*; D012151:Resuscitation / Q000379:methods; D023481:Terrorism
keywords: Blast injury; Polytrauma; Terrorism; Traumatic brain injury