Mechanism of Injury Flashcards
What are the main factors that determine the type and severity of wounds from incendiary and explosive devices?
The patient’s distance from the epicenter of the explosion.
What type of injuries are patients close to the epicenter of an explosion likely to sustain?
Injuries from all wound-causing agents of the munitions.
What type of injuries do patients farther away from the epicenter experience?
A combination of blast injuries and penetrating trauma injuries from primary and secondary projectiles.
What is a primary blast injury?
Injury due solely to the direct effects of the pressure wave on the body.
Which organs are primarily affected by primary blast injuries?
Hollow organs such as the lungs, intestines, and ears.
What causes the greatest morbidity and mortality in primary blast injuries?
Injury to the lungs.
What is a secondary blast injury?
Injury resulting from being struck by flying debris set in motion by the explosion.
What causes secondary blast injuries?
Flying debris such as ordnance projectiles or secondary missiles.
What is a tertiary blast injury?
Injury resulting from whole-body displacement and subsequent impact with environmental objects.
What types of environmental objects can cause tertiary blast injuries?
Trees, buildings, and vehicles.
What is a quaternary blast injury?
Any other injury caused by a blast, including toxic inhalation, burns, and mental health disorders.
What are examples of injuries classified as quaternary blast injuries?
Toxic inhalation, burns, myocardial infarction, and mental health disorders.
True or False: Tertiary blast injuries are caused solely by the pressure wave of the blast.
False.
Fill in the blank: A _______ blast injury results from being struck by flying debris.
secondary
Fill in the blank: The greatest morbidity and mortality from primary blast injuries occur due to injury to the _______.
lungs
