What type of injuries are considered quaternary blast injuries?

Quaternary blast injuries encompass indirect injuries resulting from a blast. These can include a range of effects such as crush injuries from structural collapses, thermal injuries from fires initiated by the explosion, or toxic exposures resulting from the detonation. Essentially, they are secondary injuries that do not occur directly from the blast wave itself but are instead caused by the environment or chain reactions initiated by the explosion.

Understanding this category helps medics recognize and treat injuries that may not be immediately apparent in a blast scenario, as they can arise from the overall incident rather than the explosive force directly. This distinction is crucial in triaging patients and assessing the full scope of injuries in a blast situation.