Head and neck injuries after a bomb explosion: Diagnostic findings and treatment approaches

To identify the types and severity of head, face and neck (HFN) injuries, which occurred as a result of a bomb explosion and reached serious life-threatening levels, using radiological imaging methods, and to discuss the options of treatment at the time of presentation.

Of the 16 patients brought to the emergency department, 14 with HFN injuries were included in the study. Computed tomography (CT) and radiography scans were performed at the time of presentation in all patients, except for one. The injuries were divided into three groups according to their localization as head, face, and neck.

A subgaleal hematoma was seen in 10 of 11 (78.5%) patients with head injuries. Eight (57.1%) of nine patients with facial injury had fractures and/or ocular injury in the orbital wall, and seven (50%) patients had maxillofacial bone fractures. Among ocular trauma cases, open-globe injuries were detected in three patients (21.4%), closed-globe in two (14.2%), and both types in three (21.4%). Of the five (35.7%) patients with secondary blast injuries in the neck, three (21.4%) had laryngeal trauma (Zone 2) due to shrapnel, localized in the false vocal cord, epiglottis, and thyrohyoid membrane, respectively. Emergency surgery was performed on a patient with a specific laryngeal injury.

We consider that in patients presenting to the emergency department with blast HFN injuries, after providing airway patency and hemodynamic stability, CT and CT angiography should be performed because these modalities guide the treatment accurately and promptly.