EMERGENCY MEDICAL RESPONSE TO BLAST INJURIES IN JAPAN

Abstract

　　The most common mechanism of injury among U. S. soldiers in the Iraq/Afghanistan war are explosions, and the worldwide frequency of explosive events by improvised explosive devices (IEDs) due to terrorist attacks has markedly increased over recent years.

　　Blast injuries are complicated, involving the compounding of blunt injuries, penetrating injuries, and injuries by blast waves. Blast physics and pathophysiology should be understood to provide medical care for blast injuries, especially for blast lung injury (BLI), and blast-induced traumatic brain injury (bTBI). Safety and security are the highest concerns when providing medical care at the scene of the event.

　　Japanese “Survival cards for first responders at the scene of explosive events, and for medical staff providing prehospital and hospital medical care”, and “medical records of blast injuries” have been created, referring to the guidelines proposed by the United States and European countries. In Japan, guidelines to treat blast injuries must be established, and we must further promote our preparedness to handle such injuries by implementing full-scale drills.