Current military conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Pakistan have been marked by improvised explosive devices (IED) and other explosives, damaging vehicles, supply caravans, and inflicting serious casualties on those caught within the blast radius. Of those who are not killed by the impact, many still suffer a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Protective equipment like body armor and helmets are designed to protect mainly against small arms fire and shrapnel, not the impact or blast wave emanating from the source of the explosion. To this end, doctors, researchers, and military officials are all interested in preventing TBIs in the field.
New research may help technicians and engineers to design equipment that can better protect against the dangers of a TBI. Two teams of researchers from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and the University of Rochester have released a report analyzing the results of a cutting-edge computer study showing the relationship between non-impact bomb blasts and the incidents of TBI in military personnel. While doctors and scientists generally understand the mechanisms by which head impacts cause TBI, the intricate workings by which blasts cause TBI are not understood. This is to say that the understanding of how and why non-lethal blasts has grown immensely from this new study, providing a unique ability to both understand and potentially counteract the the causation of TBI in these explosions.
Using the latest in three dimensional modeling and simulation technology, scientists were able to study and identify the exact mechanics of brain injuries occurring in soldiers. The simulations showed that in non-lethal explosions, the skull physically flexed and thus put a heavy mechanical load on the brain, possibly damaging it without any direct impact on the skull itself. This new information means that new products will be designed to compensate and correct the flex pressure in the skull, potentially taking the danger out of non-lethal blasts near military personnel.
TBI generally occurs when mechanical (physical) loads are placed on the brain, leading to problems in the functionality of the brain. Generally, these injuries are seen in car crashes or sporting accidents where a high velocity object is involved. However, in a combat scenario involving explosive devices, the new research indicates one of the reasons for the high instances of TBI in soldiers close to a blast is the force wave generated by the explosion. This force causes a squeezing of the skull or an extreme and sudden acceleration of the head, either of which causes serious physical pressure to be placed on the brain and potentially damaging it.
Sustaining a serious TBI at any point could be a damaging injury to anyone. Oftentimes, those afflicted find themselves unable to work, concentrate, or perform as they had before they were affected with this condition. Many who have been affected by a TBI seek out legal assistance from an experienced personal injury attorney, using their knowledge to develop a traumatic brain injury lawsuit.
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