MAXILLOFACIAL BLAST INJURIES

Blast injuries cause specific lesions and occur more often than previously, because of the wide use of explosives. This is especially the case in wartime. More and more people lose their lives every day due to blast injuries. The mechanism of the injury and pathophysiology of this trauma are discussed. The clinical effects as well as management are presented. The most dramatic effects observed are fractures to the middle third of the face, reported here for the first time, with their management. New fracture lines are typically seen in fractures of the mandible due to the blast wave effects. This presentation should help in the prevention and management to save the lives of patients in future.