J Korean Soc Traumatol.
2008 Dec;21(2):78-84.
Epidemiological Multi-center Study of Blast Injury in Military Centers
- Affiliations
-
- 1Department of Emergency Medicine, College of Medicine, Ulsan University, Korea.
- 2Department of Emergency Medicine, Capital Armed General Hospital, Korea.
- 3Department of Emergency Medicine, Daegu Armed General Hospital, Korea. Dongookk@hanmail.net
- 4Department of Emergency Medicine, DaeJeon Armed General Hospital, Korea.
- 5Department of Emergency Medicine, College of Medicine, Daegu Catholic University, Korea.
Abstract
- PURPOSE
Recently, the incidence of blast injury has been on the increase worldwide. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and analyze blast injuries in South Korea.
METHODS
This was a retrospective multi-center study of blast injuries in three tertiary military centers. The medical records of patients with blast injuries from January 2003 to December 2007 were reviewed. The injury severity was evaluated according to the Injury Severity Score (ISS), the Revised Trauma Score (RTS), and the Trauma Score and the Injury Severity Score (TRISS).
RESULTS
This study revealed epidemiological data of blast injury in the three tertiary military hospital. A total of 94 cases of blast injury had occurred. Various body regions were involved. The most frequently injured site was the upper extremity (52.1%). The mechanisms for the blast injuries were primary (41.5%), secondary (74.5%), tertiary (7.4%), and quaternary (29.8%). The mean injury-to-hospital arrival time was 3.2+/-1.7 hour. The rate of admission was 88.3%, and the rate of ICU admission was 32.5%. Thirty-six (36) cases required an emergency operation. Most were performed by an Orthopedist (55.6%), an Ophthalmologist (19.4%), or a general surgeon (13.9%). The mortality rate from blast injury was 4.3%.
CONCLUSION
This was the first paper to present data on the type of injury, the site of injury, the cause of death, and the mortality from blast injury in South Korea. Chest injury, brain injury, tertiary injury mechanisms, ISS> or = 16, and a Maximal Abbreviated Injury Scale Score (ABI)> or =4 were significantly associated with death.
