Among survivors of a bomb blast, a victim is found with traumatic amputation of a lower limb. In blast pathology, traumatic amputation is significant because it indicates:
- A Exposure to intense blast overpressure at very close range ✓
- B Secondary injury from flying fragments
- C Crush injury from structural collapse
- D Thermal injury sufficient to char the limb
Correct answer: A. Exposure to intense blast overpressure at very close range
Explanation
Traumatic amputation of a limb is produced only by extremely high blast overpressure acting on the body at very close proximity to the detonation, and it serves as a marker of near-field exposure. It is classified among primary blast effects. Fragment injury causes penetrating wounds rather than clean amputation through long bones, and crush or thermal mechanisms do not reproduce the pattern of forceful limb avulsion seen here.
Reference: Knight's Forensic Pathology, 4th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.