Types of Blast Injuries

Flashcards on the mechanism and health impacts of primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary blast injuries, along with specific blast types.

Primary Blast Injury

Injury caused by rapid crushing over pressure, most commonly impacting the tympanic membrane (most common), followed by the lung (2nd most common), eyes, and GIT.

Secondary Blast Injury

Injury caused by flying debris, resulting in MARSHAL's triad.

MARSHAL's Triad

A triad consisting of abrasions, contusions, and lacerations, which occurs as a health impact of secondary blast injury.

Tertiary Blast Injury

Injury caused by blast wind, in which the victim is thrown in the air and strikes other objects, leading to fracture and blunt trauma.

Quaternary Blast Injury

Injury caused by any complicating factor not included in the primary, secondary, or tertiary categories, such as burns, histotoxic anoxia, and crush injuries.

Blast Lung

The specific pulmonary injury caused by an air blast.

Underwater Blast

Pressure changes that occur when an explosion takes place in water, in which intestinal damage is very common.

Solid Blast

The wave of energy that spreads through a rigid structure when an explosive is detonated near it, capable of injuring people in contact with the structure.

Caecum

The anatomical structure that is most sensitive to intestinal blast injury.