Blast Injuries Differential Diagnoses
- Author: Andre Pennardt, MD, FACEP, FAAEM, FAWM; Chief Editor: Rick Kulkarni, MD more...
Differential Diagnoses
- Abdominal Trauma, Blunt
- Abdominal Trauma, Penetrating
- Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome
- Barotrauma
- Burns, Chemical
- Burns, Ocular
- Burns, Thermal
- Cardiac Tamponade
- Compartment Syndrome, Abdominal
- Compartment Syndrome, Extremity
- Conversion Disorder
- Diaphragmatic Injuries
- Disaster Planning
- Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation
- EMS and Terrorism
- Flail Chest
- Hazmat
- Neck Trauma
- Pneumothorax, Tension and Traumatic
- Postconcussive Syndrome
- Pregnancy, Trauma
- Shock, Hemorrhagic
- Shock, Hypovolemic
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Toxicity, Carbon Monoxide
- Trauma, Lower Genitourinary
- Trauma, Upper Genitourinary
Champion HR, Holcomb JB, Young LA. Injuries from explosions: physics, biophysics, pathology, and required research focus. J Trauma. May 2009;66(5):1468-77; discussion 1477. [Medline].
Wolf SJ, Bebarta VS, Bonnett CJ, Pons PT, Cantrill SV. Blast injuries. Lancet. Aug 1 2009;374(9687):405-15. [Medline].
Arnold JL, Halpern P, Tsai MC, Smithline H. Mass casualty terrorist bombings: a comparison of outcomes by bombing type. Ann Emerg Med. Feb 2004;43(2):263-73. [Medline].
Kashuk JL, Halperin P, Caspi G, Colwell C, Moore EE. Bomb explosions in acts of terrorism: evil creativity challenges our trauma systems. J Am Coll Surg. Jul 2009;209(1):134-40. [Medline].
Harrison CD, Bebarta VS, Grant GA. Tympanic membrane perforation after combat blast exposure in Iraq: a poor biomarker of primary blast injury. J Trauma. Jul 2009;67(1):210-1. [Medline].
Ozer O, Sari I, Davutoglu V, Yildirim C. Pericardial tamponade consequent to a dynamite explosion: blast overpressure injury without penetrating trauma. Tex Heart Inst J. 2009;36(3):259-60. [Medline].
DeWitt DS, Prough DS. Blast-induced brain injury and posttraumatic hypotension and hypoxemia. J Neurotrauma. Jun 2009;26(6):877-87. [Medline].
Mallonee S, Shariat S, Stennies G, et al. Physical injuries and fatalities resulting from the Oklahoma City bombing. JAMA. Aug 7 1996;276(5):382-7. [Medline].
Glenshaw MT, Vernick JS, Li G, Sorock GS, Brown S, Mallonee S. Factors associated with injury severity in Oklahoma City bombing survivors. J Trauma. Feb 2009;66(2):508-15. [Medline].
Quintana DA, Parker JR, Jordan FB. The spectrum of pediatric injuries after a bomb blast. J Pediatr Surg. Feb 1997;32(2):307-10; discussion 310-1. [Medline].
Badii F, Maghelli S, Costa N, Borreggine D, Zoccali G, Durì D. Acute methemoglobinemia after nitroglycerine transcutaneous absorption after bomb explosion: a case report. J Trauma. Mar 2009;66(3):936-7. [Medline].
Taylor DM, Vater GM, Parker PJ. An evaluation of two tourniquet systems for the control of prehospital lower limb hemorrhage. J Trauma. Sep 2011;71(3):591-5. [Medline].
Propper BW, Rasmussen TE, Davidson SB, Vandenberg SL, Clouse WD, Burkhardt GE. Surgical response to multiple casualty incidents following single explosive events. Ann Surg. Aug 2009;250(2):311-5. [Medline].
Hoffer ME, Balaban C, Gottshall K, Balough BJ, Maddox MR, Penta JR. Blast exposure: vestibular consequences and associated characteristics. Otol Neurotol. Feb 2010;31(2):232-6. [Medline].
Scherer MR, Schubert MC. Traumatic brain injury and vestibular pathology as a comorbidity after blast exposure. Phys Ther. Sep 2009;89(9):980-92. [Medline].
Elder GA, Cristian A. Blast-related mild traumatic brain injury: mechanisms of injury and impact on clinical care. Mt Sinai J Med. Mar 20 2009;76(2):111-118. [Medline].
Wright JK, Zant E, Groom K, Schlegel RE, Gilliland K. Case report: Treatment of mild traumatic brain injury with hyperbaric oxygen. Undersea Hyperb Med. Nov-Dec 2009;36(6):391-9. [Medline].
Almogy G, Luria T, Richter E, Pizov R, Bdolah-Abram T, Mintz Y. Can external signs of trauma guide management?: Lessons learned from suicide bombing attacks in Israel. Arch Surg. Apr 2005;140(4):390-3. [Medline].
Almogy G, Mintz Y, Zamir G, Bdolah-Abram T, Elazary R, Dotan L. Suicide bombing attacks: Can external signs predict internal injuries?. Ann Surg. Apr 2006;243(4):541-6. [Medline].
Almogy G, Rivkind AI. Surgical lessons learned from suicide bombing attacks. J Am Coll Surg. Feb 2006;202(2):313-9. [Medline].
Argyros GJ. Management of primary blast injury. Toxicology. Jul 25 1997;121(1):105-15. [Medline].
Armstrong KL, Cooper MF, Williams MT, Elsayed NM. Vitamin E and lipoic acid, but not vitamin C improve blood oxygenation after high-energy IMPULSE noise (BLAST) exposure. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. Dec 9 1998;253(1):114-8. [Medline].
Bala M, Rivkind AI, Zamir G, Hadar T, Gertsenshtein I, Mintz Y, et al. Abdominal trauma after terrorist bombing attacks exhibits a unique pattern of injury. Ann Surg. Aug 2008;248(2):303-9. [Medline].
Bass CR, Rafaels KA, Salzar RS. Pulmonary injury risk assessment for short-duration blasts. J Trauma. Sep 2008;65(3):604-15. [Medline].
Beekley AC, Starnes BW, Sebesta JA. Lessons learned from modern military surgery. Surg Clin North Am. Feb 2007;87(1):157-84, vii. [Medline].
Belanger HG, Kretzmer T, Yoash-Gantz R, Pickett T, Tupler LA. Cognitive sequelae of blast-related versus other mechanisms of brain trauma. J Int Neuropsychol Soc. Jan 2009;15(1):1-8. [Medline].
Bowen TE, Bellamy RF. Emergency war surgery. In: Second United States revision of Emergency War Surgery NATO Handbook. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office; 1988.
CDC. Homemade chemical bomb events and resulting injuries--selected states, January 1996-March 2003. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. Jul 18 2003;52(28):662-4. [Medline].
Cernak I, Savic J, Ignjatovic D, Jevtik M. Blast injury from explosive munitions. J Trauma. Jul 1999;47(1):96-103; discussion 103-4. [Medline].
Crabtree J. Terrorist homicide bombings: a primer for preparation. J Burn Care Res. Sep-Oct 2006;27(5):576-88. [Medline].
Cripps NP, Cooper GJ. Risk of late perforation in intestinal contusions caused by explosive blast. Br J Surg. Sep 1997;84(9):1298-303. [Medline].
Cripps NP, Cooper GJ. The influence of personal blast protection on the distribution and severity of primary blast gut injury. J Trauma. Mar 1996;40(3 Suppl):S206-11. [Medline].
Davis TE, Lee CY. An introduction to asymmetric war (terrorism) and the epidemiology of blast trauma [Greater New York Hospital Association Emergency Preparedness Resource Center Web site]. October 17, 2005. [Full Text].
DePalma RG, Burris DG, Champion HR, Hodgson MJ. Blast injuries. N Engl J Med. Mar 31 2005;352(13):1335-42. [Medline].
Eastridge BJ, Blackbourne L, Wade CE, Holcomb JB. Radiologic diagnosis of explosion casualties. Am J Disaster Med. Sep-Oct 2008;3(5):301-5. [Medline].
Elsayed NM, Gorbunov NV, Kagan VE. A proposed biochemical mechanism involving hemoglobin for blast overpressure-induced injury. Toxicology. Jul 25 1997;121(1):81-90. [Medline].
Explosions and blast injuries: a primer for clinicians. Last reviewed May 26, 2005. CDC Emergency Preparedness & Response Web site. Available at http://www.bt.cdc.gov/masscasualties/explosions.asp.
Garth RJ. Blast injury of the ear: an overview and guide to management. Injury. Jul 1995;26(6):363-6. [Medline].
Gorbunov NV, McFaul SJ, Van Albert S, et al. Assessment of inflammatory response and sequestration of blood iron transferrin complexes in a rat model of lung injury resulting from exposure to low-frequency shock waves. Crit Care Med. Apr 2004;32(4):1028-34. [Medline].
Guy RJ, Kirkman E, Watkins PE, Cooper GJ. Physiologic responses to primary blast. J Trauma. Dec 1998;45(6):983-7. [Medline].
Guzzi LM, Argyros G. The management of blast injury. Eur J Emerg Med. Dec 1996;3(4):252-5. [Medline].
Hiss J, Kahana T. Suicide bombers in Israel. Am J Forensic Med Pathol. Mar 1998;19(1):63-6. [Medline].
Irwin RJ, Lerner MR, Bealer JF, et al. Cardiopulmonary physiology of primary blast injury. J Trauma. Oct 1997;43(4):650-5. [Medline].
Irwin RJ, Lerner MR, Bealer JF, et al. Shock after blast wave injury is caused by a vagally mediated reflex. J Trauma. Jul 1999;47(1):105-10. [Medline].
Katz E, Ofek B, Adler J, et al. Primary blast injury after a bomb explosion in a civilian bus. Ann Surg. Apr 1989;209(4):484-8. [Medline].
Langworthy MJ, Sabra J, Gould M. Terrorism and blast phenomena: lessons learned from the attack on the USS Cole (DDG67). Clin Orthop Relat Res. May 2004;82-7. [Medline].
Leibovici D, Gofrit ON, Shapira SC. Eardrum perforation in explosion survivors: is it a marker of pulmonary blast injury?. Ann Emerg Med. Aug 1999;34(2):168-72. [Medline].
Leibovici D, Gofrit ON, Stein M, et al. Blast injuries: bus versus open-air bombings--a comparative study of injuries in survivors of open-air versus confined-space explosions. J Trauma. Dec 1996;41(6):1030-5. [Medline].
Mayorga MA. The pathology of primary blast overpressure injury. Toxicology. Jul 25 1997;121(1):17-28. [Medline].
Moochhala SM, Md S, Lu J, et al. Neuroprotective role of aminoguanidine in behavioral changes after blast injury. J Trauma. Feb 2004;56(2):393-403. [Medline].
Multi-agency presenters. Domestic Preparedness (for) Defense Against Weapons of Mass Destruction CBD Command Course. Indianapolis, IN; February 10, 1998.
Mundie TG, Dodd KT, Lagutchik MS, et al. Effects of blast exposure on exercise performance in sheep. J Trauma. Jun 2000;48(6):1115-21. [Medline].
Nelson TJ, Clark T, Stedje-Larsen ET, Lewis CT, Grueskin JM, Echols EL, et al. Close proximity blast injury patterns from improvised explosive devices in Iraq: a report of 18 cases. J Trauma. Jul 2008;65(1):212-7. [Medline].
Nelson TJ, Wall DB, Stedje-Larsen ET, Clark RT, Chambers LW, Bohman HR. Predictors of mortality in close proximity blast injuries during Operation Iraqi Freedom. J Am Coll Surg. Mar 2006;202(3):418-22. [Medline].
Peleg K, Liran A, Tessone A, Givon A, Orenstein A, Haik J. Do burns increase the severity of terror injuries?. J Burn Care Res. Nov-Dec 2008;29(6):887-92. [Medline].
Ramasamy A, Harrisson SE, Clasper JC, Stewart MP. Injuries from roadside improvised explosive devices. J Trauma. Oct 2008;65(4):910-4. [Medline].
Ritenour AE, Baskin TW. Primary blast injury: update on diagnosis and treatment. Crit Care Med. Jul 2008;36(7 Suppl):S311-7. [Medline].
Ritenour AE, Wickley A, Ritenour JS, Kriete BR, Blackbourne LH, Holcomb JB. Tympanic membrane perforation and hearing loss from blast overpressure in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom wounded. J Trauma. Feb 2008;64(2 Suppl):S174-8; discussion S178. [Medline].
Shamir MY, Rivkind A, Weissman C, Sprung CL, Weiss YG. Conventional terrorist bomb incidents and the intensive care unit. Curr Opin Crit Care. Dec 2005;11(6):580-4. [Medline].
Stuhmiller JH, Phillips YY, Richmond DR. The physics and mechanisms of primary blast injury. In: Bellamy AFR, Zajtchuk R, eds. Conventional Warfare: Ballistic, Blast, and Burn. 1991:247-70.
Tuggle DW. Blast injury. J Okla State Med Assoc. Sep 2003;96(9):419-21. [Medline].
Wightman JM, Gladish SL. Explosions and blast injuries. Ann Emerg Med. Jun 2001;37(6):664-78. [Medline].

