Click. Click. Boom! A Review of Explosive and Blast Injuries

The risk for terrorist attacks in the United States is drastically increasing every day. Until this past decade, the United States has been largely spared of mega-terrosist attacks, and unfortunately, the number of providers with experience in explosive-related injuries is decreasing. Emergency response personnel must be familiar with the unique pathophysiology associated with explosions and blast injuries. Explosions can produce unique patterns of injury seldom seen outside combat. When they do occur, they have the potential to inflict multi-system life-threatening injuries on many persons simultaneously. Because explosions are relatively infrequent, blast-related injuries can present unique triage, diagnostic, and management challenges to providers of emergency care.