The Medical Assessment of a New Soft Body Armor
Abstract
The development of a new lightweight soft body armor appears to lower the morbidity and mortality from certain ballistic threats. 'Impulse' -type blunt injuries have been produced in laboratory animals. The severity of underlying injury (if any) did not correlate with the seemingly innocent skin lesion seen behind the armor. Therefore, in the case of impact on a soft body armor, it is recommended that: (1) All victims of assault should be hospitalized for observation in spite of an apparent state of good health and a minimal skin lesion; (2) Strikes to the chest should be monitored with serial chest X-rays; (3) Strikes to the precordial region require cardiac monitoring and serial ECG's and enzyme determinations; and (4) Strikes to the abdomen require frequent examination for signs of peritoneal irritation. Impacts over the liver should be viewed with great suspicion of underlying hepatic injury. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1978
- Accession Number
- ADA053789
Entities
People
- Andrew W. Carroll
- Carl A. Soderstrom
- Clarence E. Hawkins
Organizations
- United States Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center