Blast Injuries and Explosive Material- a Review Article

The primary goal of writing this article is to focus on addressing blast knowledge gaps. Understanding what we know about blast injuries is just as important as understanding what we don't know. Bomb blast injuries to civilians in non-combat setting have become increasingly common over the last decade mainly as act of terrorism. Blast injuries are no longer confined to war fields but has concerned of civil life with the ever present threat of terrorism. We should always be prepared for bomb blasts. Bomb blast injuries tend to affect air containing organs more, as the blast waves tend to exert a shearing force on air tissues interfaces. Commonly injured organs include the tympanic membranes, the sinuses, the lungs and the bowel. Of these blast injuries lung injuries are most challenging to treat. It must be born in mind that bomb blast could also be used to disperse radiological and chemical agents. This comprehensive review of blast injuries, terrorists use whatever is available - illegally obtained manufactured weapons or improvised explosive devices (IEDs) that may be composed of HE (High order explosives) or LE (Low order explosive), or both. A manufactured and improvised bombs cause markedly different injury, which may provide the detail knowledge of blast materials.