Challenges in management of blast injuries in Intensive Care Unit: Case series and review

Abstract

Blast injuries are rare, but life-threatening medical emergencies. We report the clinical presentation and management of four bomb blast victims admitted in Intensive Care Unit of Trauma center of our hospital in 2011. Three of them had lung injury; hemothorax (2) and pneumothorax (1). Traumatic brain injury was present in only one. Long bone fractures were present in all the victims. Presence of multiple shrapnels was a universal finding. Two blast victims died (day 7 and day 9); cause of death was multi-organ failure and septic shock. Issues relating to complexity of injuries, complications, management, and outcome are discussed.