A review of the work of the Task Group on Behind Armour Blunt Trauma
conference paper
Over the past four years several countries and national laboratories have collaborated within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s Research and Technology Organization as a Task Group. The purpose was to continue the research of an earlier NATO sponsored group and so explain the pathophysiology of blunt injury behind personal protective equipment defeating a high energy projectile. There appear to be two distinct possible causes of thoracic trauma although research to date has not identified which, if any, is more important. The Task Group has developed a standard animal model for testing thoracic protection equipment. A number of strategies to reduce injuries are under development and are discussed. Head injuries after impacts on helmets are of serious concern. Research has now clarified the risk of cervical injury and diffuse axonal injury when helmets defeat projectiles. There are many unanswered questions and there is much research for the future. Injury criteria and classifications need to be developed, information on casualties collected from the field, and new research models developed. Unfortunately, the development of personal protection must anticipate new weapons. The newer flexible protection may increase the potential for blunt injury emphasizing the need for research into test methods and standards.
TNO Identifier
182939
Source title
Proceedings Personal Armour Systems Symposium, PASS 2002, The Hague, The Netherlands, 18-22 November 2002
Collation
8 p.
Pages
87-94
Files
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