Explosive Weapons Trauma Care Collective (EXTRACCT) Blast Injury Clinical Practice Guideline: Genito-Urinary Trauma.

Abstract

This clinical practice guideline from the Explosive Weapons Trauma Care Collective (EXTRACCT) group provides a review of current best practice for the management of urogenital injury after blast injury due to unexploded ordinance and improvized explosive devices. In particular, landmine-related blasts are a continuing problem and this plagues lower-income and middle-income regions disproportionately. An expert literature review of current practice is presented. The guideline provides assessment, resuscitation, and definitive management based on injury severity for the internal urological organs and for the external genitalia. Imaging and surgical techniques are described for the surgeon relatively unfamiliar with the management of urogenital trauma. Urogenital trauma is seldom fatal but combined with other injuries may cause severe morbidity and mortality. Best practice management is required in resource-constrained settings.