Cutting Edge Technology Provides Traumatic Brain Injury Answers

Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) have been associated with military conflicts and injuries for a long time, especially those involving explosives. The explosive devices used in warfare since the invention of gunpowder have not only proved deadly but also extensively damaging to those not mortally wounded by the explosions. Conflicts today, especially those 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. Protective gear issued to soldiers is designed to protect against direct impacts and shrapnel. However, current body armor and helmets lack the ability to properly defend against TBI resulting from exposure to explosions.

The most recent studies have analyzed information that may help scientists and engineers create better protective equipment 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. Armed with this new research, engineers and technicians will now possibly be able to account for the flex pressure experienced by those near an explosion site, possibly reducing the number of TBIs.

TBI generally occurs when mechanical (physical) loads are placed on the brain, leading to problems in the functionality of the brain. These types of injuries are normally seen in sporting accidents or car crashes where objects traveling at high velocities are 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.

Suffering a TBI at any time can be a debilitating injury. 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.