Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 4 complete abstracts (656 words), 10 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
Sudden, violent, and often destructive expansion of gases which propagates energy outward, such as a shock wave, ejecting fragments and debris at high velocities.
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Explosion.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Environment
- See also
- Blast Injuries
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 4,541 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Explosions” (counts retrieved 2026-10-31). 571 of them (12.6%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is through 1999 with 1,739 records.
Reviews account for 270 records (5.9%) and meta-analyses for 4. Randomized controlled trials number 5 (0.1%) as a share of all records on the topic. Randomized trials make up only a small share of this literature, so much of what is known comes from laboratory, observational or descriptive work.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 1,739 |
| 2000-2009 | 1,205 |
| 2010-2019 | 1,026 |
| 2020 onward | 571 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 270 | 5.9% |
| Meta-analyses | 4 | 0.1% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 5 | 0.1% |
Method: PubMed query "Explosions"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-10-31.
Reading the evidence in public health and nutrition
Population and nutrition studies mostly observe what people eat, breathe or are exposed to and then look for links with health, which shows association and not proof of cause. Self-reported diet is imprecise, people who eat or live differently also differ in other ways, and effects measured across a population may not apply to one person. Check the study design, how exposure was measured, what else was accounted for and the size of the effect, not only whether it was statistically significant.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary blast causes mild, moderate, severe and lethal TBI with increasing blast overpressures: Experimental rat injury model | 2016 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 89 | cc by PMID 27270403 · DOI · PMC4895217 |
| Successful treatment of biofilm infections using shock waves combined with antibiotic therapy | 2015 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 46 | cc by PMID 26658706 · DOI · PMC4674795 |
| Shear forces during blast, not abrupt changes in pressure alone, generate calcium activity in human brain cells | 2012 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 38 | cc0 PMID 22768078 · DOI · PMC3387147 |
| Beirut Port Blast: Use of Electronic Health Record System During a Mass Casualty Event | 2025 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 1 | cc by PMID 39918138 · DOI · PMC11908528 |
Primary blast causes mild, moderate, severe and lethal TBI with increasing blast overpressures: Experimental rat injury model [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Injury severity in blast induced Traumatic Brain Injury (bTBI) increases with blast overpressure (BOP) and impulse in dose-dependent manner.
- Closing excerpt
- With these additional data, we conclude that mild bTBI occurs in rats when the BOP is in the range of 85-145 kPa.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (203 words)
Injury severity in blast induced Traumatic Brain Injury (bTBI) increases with blast overpressure (BOP) and impulse in dose-dependent manner. Pure primary blast waves were simulated in compressed gas shock-tubes in discrete increments. Present work demonstrates 24 hour survival of rats in 0-450 kPa (0-800 Pa∙s impulse) range at 10 discrete levels (60, 100, 130, 160, 190, 230, 250, 290, 350 and 420 kPa) and determines the mortality rate as a non-linear function of BOP. Using logistic regression model, predicted mortality rate (PMR) function was calculated, and used to establish TBI severities. We determined a BOP of 145 kPa as upper mild TBI threshold (5% PMR). Also we determined 146-220 kPa and 221-290 kPa levels as moderate and severe TBI based on 35%, and 70% PMR, respectively, while BOP above 290 kPa is lethal. Since there are no standards for animal bTBI injury severity, these thresholds need further refinements using histopathology, immunohistochemistry and behavior. Further, we specifically investigated mild TBI range (0-145 kPa) using physiological (heart rate), pathological (lung injury), immuno-histochemical (oxidative/nitrosative and blood-brain barrier markers) as well as blood borne biomarkers. With these additional data, we conclude that mild bTBI occurs in rats when the BOP is in the range of 85-145 kPa.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 27270403 · DOI · PMC4895217
Successful treatment of biofilm infections using shock waves combined with antibiotic therapy [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Many bacteria secrete a highly hydrated framework of extracellular polymer matrix on suitable substrates and embed within the matrix to form a biofilm.
- Closing excerpt
- These results demonstrate for the first time that, shock waves, combined with antibiotic treatment can be used to treat biofilm infection on medical devices as well as in situ infections.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (164 words)
Many bacteria secrete a highly hydrated framework of extracellular polymer matrix on suitable substrates and embed within the matrix to form a biofilm. Bacterial biofilms are observed on many medical devices, endocarditis, periodontitis and lung infections in cystic fibrosis patients. Bacteria in biofilm are protected from antibiotics and >1,000 times of the minimum inhibitory concentration may be required to treat biofilm infections. Here, we demonstrated that shock waves could be used to remove Salmonella, Pseudomonas and Staphylococcus biofilms in urinary catheters. The studies were extended to a Pseudomonas chronic pneumonia lung infection and Staphylococcus skin suture infection model in mice. The biofilm infections in mice, treated with shock waves became susceptible to antibiotics, unlike untreated biofilms. Mice exposed to shock waves responded to ciprofloxacin treatment, while ciprofloxacin alone was ineffective in treating the infection. These results demonstrate for the first time that, shock waves, combined with antibiotic treatment can be used to treat biofilm infection on medical devices as well as in situ infections.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 26658706 · DOI · PMC4674795
Shear forces during blast, not abrupt changes in pressure alone, generate calcium activity in human brain cells [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Blast-Induced Traumatic Brain Injury (bTBI) describes a spectrum of injuries caused by an explosive force that results in changes in brain function.
- Closing excerpt
- The probability of cellular injury in response to a shockwave was low and cell survival was unaffected 20 hours after shockwave exposure.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (147 words)
Blast-Induced Traumatic Brain Injury (bTBI) describes a spectrum of injuries caused by an explosive force that results in changes in brain function. The mechanism responsible for primary bTBI following a blast shockwave remains unknown. We have developed a pneumatic device that delivers shockwaves, similar to those known to induce bTBI, within a chamber optimal for fluorescence microscopy. Abrupt changes in pressure can be created with and without the presence of shear forces at the surface of cells. In primary cultures of human central nervous system cells, the cellular calcium response to shockwaves alone was negligible. Even when the applied pressure reached 15 atm, there was no damage or excitation, unless concomitant shear forces, peaking between 0.3 to 0.7 Pa, were present at the cell surface. The probability of cellular injury in response to a shockwave was low and cell survival was unaffected 20 hours after shockwave exposure.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc0 licence; © the authors. PMID 22768078 · DOI · PMC3387147
Beirut Port Blast: Use of Electronic Health Record System During a Mass Casualty Event [4]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- IntroductionEmergency departments (ED) play a central role in defining the effectiveness and quality of the overall hospital's mass casualty incident (MCI) response.
- Closing excerpt
- ConclusionInnovative solutions that help address logistical challenges for different aspects of the disaster response are needed.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (142 words)
IntroductionEmergency departments (ED) play a central role in defining the effectiveness and quality of the overall hospital's mass casualty incident (MCI) response. The use of electronic health records (EHR) in hospital settings has been rapidly growing globally. There is, however, a paucity of literature on the use and performance of EHR during MCIs.MethodsIn this study we aimed to describe EHR use, as well as the challenges and lessons learnt in response to the 2020 explosion in the Port of Beirut, Lebanon, during which the hospital received over 360 casualties.ResultsInformation technology support, reducing EHR system restrictions, cross-function training, focus on registration and patient identification, patient flow and tracking, mobility and bedside access, and alternate sites of care are all important areas to focus on during emergency/disaster response planning.ConclusionInnovative solutions that help address logistical challenges for different aspects of the disaster response are needed.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 39918138 · DOI · PMC11908528
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article Blast injuries [5]
- Research article Medical management of disasters and mass casualties from terrorist bombings: how can we cope? [6]
- Research article A review of advanced high performance, insensitive and thermally stable energetic materials emerging for military and space applications [7]
- Research article Injuries from explosions: physics, biophysics, pathology, and required research focus [8]
- Research article Explosions and blast injuries [9]
- Research article Traumatic brain injury in modern war [10]
References
- Mishra V, Skotak M, Schuetz H, Heller A, Haorah J, Chandra N. Primary blast causes mild, moderate, severe and lethal TBI with increasing blast overpressures: Experimental rat injury model. . 2016. PMID 27270403 · DOI · PMC4895217
- Gnanadhas DP, Elango M, Janardhanraj S, Srinandan CS, Datey A, Strugnell RA, et al.. Successful treatment of biofilm infections using shock waves combined with antibiotic therapy. . 2015. PMID 26658706 · DOI · PMC4674795
- Ravin R, Blank PS, Steinkamp A, Rappaport SM, Ravin N, Bezrukov L, et al.. Shear forces during blast, not abrupt changes in pressure alone, generate calcium activity in human brain cells. . 2012. PMID 22768078 · DOI · PMC3387147
- Hitti E, Hadid D, Saliba M, Sadek Z, Jabbour R, Antoun R, et al.. Beirut Port Blast: Use of Electronic Health Record System During a Mass Casualty Event. . 2025. PMID 39918138 · DOI · PMC11908528
- Wolf SJ, Bebarta VS, Bonnett CJ, Pons PT, Cantrill SV. Blast injuries. Lancet. 2009. PMID 19631372 · DOI
- Frykberg ER. Medical management of disasters and mass casualties from terrorist bombings: how can we cope?. J Trauma. 2002. PMID 12169923 · DOI
- Sikder AK, Sikder N. A review of advanced high performance, insensitive and thermally stable energetic materials emerging for military and space applications. J Hazard Mater. 2004. PMID 15225926 · DOI
- Champion HR, Holcomb JB, Young LA. Injuries from explosions: physics, biophysics, pathology, and required research focus. J Trauma. 2009. PMID 19430256 · DOI
- Wightman JM, Gladish SL. Explosions and blast injuries. Ann Emerg Med. 2001. PMID 11385339 · DOI
- Ling GS, Ecklund JM. Traumatic brain injury in modern war. Curr Opin Anaesthesiol. 2011. PMID 21301332 · DOI
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-11-04; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-11-04.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.