McEvoy Cory B, Crabtree Adam, Powell Jacob R, Meabon James S, Mihalik Jason P
United States Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, USA.
CU Anschutz Center for COMBAT Research, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA.
J Neurotrauma. 2023 Feb;40(3-4):318-325. doi: 10.1089/neu.2022.0075. Epub 2022 Sep 9.
Special Operations Forces (SOF) Service members endure frequent exposures to blast and overpressure mechanisms given their high training tempo. The link between cumulative subconcussive blasts on short- and long-term neurological impairment is largely understudied. Neurodegenerative diseases such as brain dysfunction, cognitive decline, mild cognitive impairment, and dementia may develop with chronic exposures. This hypothesis remains unproven because of lack of ecologically valid occupational blast exposure surveillance among SOF Service members. The purpose of the study was to measure occupational blast exposures in a close quarter battle (CQB) training environment and to use those outcomes to develop a pragmatic cumulative blast exposure (CBE) estimate model. Four blast silhouettes equipped with a field-deployable wireless blast gauge system were positioned in breaching positions during CQB training scenarios. Silhouettes were exposed to flashbangs and three interior breaching charges (single strand roll-up interior charge, 300 grain (gr) explosive cutting tape (ECT), and Jelly charge). Mean blast measures were calculated for each silhouette for flashbangs ( = 93), single strand roll-up interior charge ( = 80), 300 gr ECT ( = 28), and Jelly charge ( = 71). Mean peak blast pressures per detonation are reported as follows: (1) flashbangs (1.97 pounds per square inch [psi]); (2) single strand roll-up interior charge (3.88 psi); (3) 300 gr ECT (2.78 psi); and (4) Jelly charge (1.89 psi). Pragmatic CBE estimates for SOF Service members suggest 36.8 psi, 184 psi, and 2760 psi may represent daily, weekly, and training cycle cumulative pressure exposures. Estimating blast exposures during routine CQB training can be determined from empirical measures taken in CQB environments. Factoring in daily, weekly, training cycle, or even career length may reasonably estimate cumulative occupational training blast exposures for SOF Service members. Future work may permit more granular exposure estimates based on operational blast exposures and those experienced by other military occupational specialties.
特种作战部队（SOF）成员由于训练节奏快，经常暴露于爆炸和超压环境中。关于累积性次震荡爆炸与短期和长期神经损伤之间的联系，目前在很大程度上仍未得到充分研究。诸如脑功能障碍、认知衰退、轻度认知障碍和痴呆等神经退行性疾病可能会因长期暴露而发展。由于缺乏对特种作战部队成员具有生态学效度的职业爆炸暴露监测，这一假设仍未得到证实。本研究的目的是测量近距离战斗（CQB）训练环境中的职业爆炸暴露，并利用这些结果开发一个实用的累积爆炸暴露（CBE）估计模型。在CQB训练场景中，四个配备了可现场部署的无线爆炸测量仪系统的爆炸轮廓模型被放置在突破位置。这些轮廓模型暴露于闪光弹和三种室内突破装药（单股卷起式室内装药、300格令（gr）爆炸切割带（ECT）和果冻装药）。计算了每个轮廓模型在闪光弹（n = 93）、单股卷起式室内装药（n = 80）、300 gr ECT（n = 28）和果冻装药（n = 71）情况下的平均爆炸测量值。每次爆炸的平均峰值爆炸压力报告如下：（1）闪光弹（1.97磅每平方英寸[psi]）；（2）单股卷起式室内装药（3.88 psi）；（3）300 gr ECT（2.78 psi）；以及（4）果冻装药（1.89 psi）。对特种作战部队成员的实用CBE估计表明，36.8 psi、184 psi和2760 psi可能分别代表每日、每周和训练周期的累积压力暴露。在常规CQB训练期间的爆炸暴露估计可以根据在CQB环境中采取的实证测量来确定。考虑到每日、每周、训练周期甚至职业生涯长度，可以合理估计特种作战部队成员的累积职业训练爆炸暴露。未来的工作可能会基于作战爆炸暴露以及其他军事职业专业人员所经历的暴露，进行更细致的暴露估计。
