Guidelines for conducting epidemiological studies of blast injury

Blast injuries are often caused by more than one mechanism, do not occur in isolation, and typically elicit a secondary multi-system response. Research efforts often do not separate blast injuries caused by blast waves from those caused by blunt force trauma and other mechanisms. 15 experts from nine different NATO nations developed in the HFM...

Guidelines for using animal models in blast injury research

Blast injury is a very complex phenomenon and frequently results in multiple injuries. One method to investigate the consequences of blast injuries is with the use of living systems (animal models). The use of animals allows the examination and evaluation of injury mechanisms in a more controlled manner, allowing variables such as primary or...

Guidelines for reproducing blast exposures in the laboratory

Discussions at a NATO Health Factors and Medicine Symposium 207 (HFM-SYM-207) revealed the importance of a systematic approach to understanding blast injuries much like the well-established approach used to solve the classical toxicology problem where the aetiology of the injury requires an understanding of the dose, mechanism of delivery of the...

Environmental toxicology of blast exposures: injury metrics, modelling, methods and standards

A review of the work of the Task Group on Behind Armour Blunt Trauma

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...