Abstract
During Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), blast trauma has become the most common mechanism (78 %) of wounding among US and coalition troops, greatly outnumbering wounds from small arms fire (18 %) [1, 2]. Improvised explosive devices (IEDs) have increased in magnitude, frequency, and sophistication throughout the course of these conflicts. Enemy combatants have improved their techniques as the escalation of technology, tactics, and countermeasures have advanced. By far the most commonly deployed explosive device used by enemy combatants is the improvised explosive device (IED). IEDs constitute a broad range of devices, deployment methods, sizes, and levels of sophistication. Examples of the spectrum of deployed devices include everything from low-tech devices using common household items, to reutilized artillery shells with triggering devices, to Trojan Horse IEDs that are embedded in stolen US government property (i.e., handheld radios), to suicide/homicide bombers to massive and highly destructive vehicle born IEDs.
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The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Navy, Department of Defense, or the US Government.
I am a military service member and this work was prepared as part of my official duties. Title 17 U.S.C. 105 provides that “Copyright protection under this title is not available for any work of the United States Government.” Title 17 U.S.C. 101 defines a US Government work as a work prepared by a military service member or employee of the US Government as part of that person’s official duties.
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Blease, R.E., Smith, C.S. (2014). Blast Trauma. In: Bone, L., Mamczak, C. (eds) Front Line Extremity and Orthopaedic Surgery. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-45337-3_4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-45337-3_4
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