Blast injuries in children: a mixed-methods narrative review.

Background And Significance: Blast injuries arising from high explosive weaponry is common in conflict areas. While blast injury characteristics are well recognised in the adults, there is a lack of consensus as to whether these characteristics translate to the paediatric population. Understanding blast injury patterns in this cohort is essential for providing appropriate provision of services and care for this vulnerable cohort.

Analysis of isolated transverse process fractures sustained during blast-related events.

Background: Personnel have sustained a range of devastating blast injuries during recent conflicts. Previous studies have focused on severe injuries, including to the spine; however, no study has specifically focused on the most common spinal injury-transverse process (TP) fractures. Although their treatment usually requires limited intervention, analysis of TP fractures may help determine injury mechanisms.

Mediastinal injury is the strongest predictor of mortality in mounted blast amongst UK deployed forces.

Background: Blast injury has been the most common cause of morbidity and mortality encountered by UK forces during recent conflicts. Injuries sustained by blast are categorised by the injuring component of the explosion and depend upon physical surroundings. Previous work has established that head injuries and intra cavity haemorrhage are the major causes of death following exposure to under body (mounted) blast but has yet to explore the precise nature of these torso injuries nor the effect of particular injuries upon survival.