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Primary Blast Lung Injury: The UK Military Experience
Timothy E Scott1, Andrew M Johnston1, Damian D Keene1
1Academic Department of Military Anaesthesia and Critical Care, Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, ICT Centre, Birmingham B15 2SQ, UK.
Military Medicine
|December 27, 2019
Summary
Primary blast lung injury, a consequence of explosive shock waves, affected 8.1% of casualties. This injury was less severe than other acute lung injuries and manageable with mechanical ventilation.
Area of Science:
- Trauma research
- Pulmonary medicine
- Military medicine
Background:
- Primary blast lung injury (PBLI) results from explosive shock waves impacting the thorax.
- It necessitates close proximity to an explosion and causes rapid respiratory distress in survivors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the incidence and characteristics of primary blast lung injury in casualties from the Afghanistan conflict.
- To evaluate the severity and management of PBLI in a military setting.
Main Methods:
- Data from the Joint Theatre Trauma Registry and Defence Statistics (Health) Database were reviewed.
- Case notes and imaging of blast-exposed casualties were analyzed.
- Demographic and clinical data were collected for casualties with PBLI.
Main Results:
- 8.1% of blast-exposed casualties sustained PBLI.
- 2.9% of intensive care survivors and 13% of non-survivors had documented PBLI.
- Severe PBLI required an average of 4.5 days of mechanical ventilation.
Conclusions:
- PBLI is a less severe acute lung injury compared to non-traumatic forms.
- PBLI did not cause fatalities once casualties reached a combat support hospital.
- The condition was effectively managed with conventional mechanical ventilation for a limited duration.
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