Bomb Explosion: Ocular Effects of Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Mechanisms

• Main Authors: Kalayci M, Er S, Tahtabasi M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dove Medical Press 2020-04-01
• Series: Clinical Ophthalmology
• Subjects: eye injury; ocular trauma; explosion; open-globe injury; improvised explosive device
• Online Access: https://www.dovepress.com/bomb-explosion-ocular-effects-of-primary-secondary-and-tertiary-mechan-peer-reviewed-article-OPTH

Mustafa Kalayci,1 Sadettin Er,2 Mehmet Tahtabasi3 1Somalia Mogadishu - Turkey Education and Research Hospital, Department of Ophthalmology, Banadir, Mogadishu, Somalia; 2Somalia Mogadishu - Turkey Education and Research Hospital, Department of General Surgery, Banadir, Mogadishu, Somalia; 3Somalia Mogadishu - Turkey Education and Research Hospital, Department of Radiology, Banadir, Mogadishu, SomaliaCorrespondence: Mustafa Kalayci Email [e-mail]: To report the type and severity of ocular injuries sustained by the survivors of a bomb-loaded explosion that occurred in Mogadishu, Somalia on December 28, 2019.Patients and Methods: The recorded data included age, gender, wounded eye, initial examination of ocular injuries and associated systemic injuries, initial visual acuity, anterior and posterior segment examinations. The type of injury (open vs closed globe), the injured zone of the globe, and the presence of a relative afferent pupil defect were evaluated in all cases where possible.Results: After the explosion, ocular injuries were detected in 28 of 114 patients in our hospital. Thirty-two eyes of 28 patients were included in the study. The mean age was 32.4± 6.7 years. The number of open-globe injuries was more than that of closed-globe injuries (26 vs 6; 81.25% vs 18.75%, respectively). Zone 1 was the most affected zone in open-globe injuries (18/26 eyes, 61.6%), followed by Zone 3 in six (23%) patients and Zone 2 in four (15.4%) patients. Sixteen open-globe injuries were laceration type (61.5%) and 10 (38.5%) were rupture type. An intraocular foreign body was detected in eight (30.8%) eyes with open-globe injuries. A total of 28 patients had 11 (39.3%) isolated eye injuries, whereas 17 (60.7%) had concomitant systemic injuries.Conclusion: The frequency of blast-related ocular injuries is increasing. Today, the increase in the use of vehicle-borne improvised explosives in terrorist-related explosions leads to more frequent and serious ocular injuries.Keywords: eye injury, ocular trauma, explosion, open-globe injury, improvised explosive device