Michael Courtney
Member
Here are two abstracts and links to recent papers. My esteemed co-author, Dr. Amy Courtney, took the lead on writing and guiding the first paper through the peer-review process.
Links between traumatic brain injury and ballistic pressure waves originating in the thoracic cavity and extremities
Authors: Amy Courtney a; Michael Courtney b
Affiliations: a Department of Physics, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY, USA
b Ballistics Testing Group, West Point, NY, USA
DOI: 10.1080/02699050701481571
Published in: Brain Injury, Volume 21, Issue 7 June 2007 , pages 657 - 662
Subjects: Neuroscience; Rehabilitation;
Abstract
Purpose: Identifying patients at risk of traumatic brain injury (TBI) is important because research suggests prophylactic treatments to reduce risk of long-term sequelae.
Method: This review considers results from the lateral fluid percussion model of TBI, ballistic experiments in animal models and analyses of human studies.
Results: Taken together, these results support the hypothesis that bullet impacts distant from the brain produce pressure waves that travel to the brain and can retain sufficient magnitude to induce brain injury.
Conclusions: The link to long-term sequelae could be investigated via epidemiological studies of patients who were gunshot in the chest to determine whether they experience elevated rates of epilepsy and other neurological sequelae.
Keywords: Ballistic pressure wave; mild TBI; gunshot wound
Link to published paper:
http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~content=a780760458
Following this link beyond the abstract requires either paying a fee or having an electronic subscription (most likely through a university or medical institution.) Under the author agreement, we are allowed to provide a link to a pre-publication version of the paper.
Link to Pre-print:
http://www.ballisticstestinggroup.org/tbipwave.pdf
A second paper is also newly available:
Experimental Observations of Incapacitation via Ballistic Pressure Wave without a Wound Channel
Michael Courtney, PhD
Ballistics Testing Group, P.O. Box 24, West Point, NY 10996
[email protected]
Amy Courtney, PhD
Department of Physics, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY 10996
[email protected]
Abstract:
This article describes experimental observation that incapacitation and injury can be caused by a ballistic pressure wave independently from wounding caused by crushing effects of a bullet in the wound channel. Live animal test subjects partially immersed in water were observed to be incapacitated by a ballistic pressure wave created by a bullet passing through the water close to the test subject without hitting the test subject. The water coupled the pressure wave to the thoracic cavity of the test subject without perforation. Bullets producing larger pressure waves caused incapacitation, whereas a load producing smaller pressure waves did not.
The full paper can be found at:
http://www.ballisticstestinggroup.org/lotor.pdf
Thanks,
Michael Courtney
Links between traumatic brain injury and ballistic pressure waves originating in the thoracic cavity and extremities
Authors: Amy Courtney a; Michael Courtney b
Affiliations: a Department of Physics, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY, USA
b Ballistics Testing Group, West Point, NY, USA
DOI: 10.1080/02699050701481571
Published in: Brain Injury, Volume 21, Issue 7 June 2007 , pages 657 - 662
Subjects: Neuroscience; Rehabilitation;
Abstract
Purpose: Identifying patients at risk of traumatic brain injury (TBI) is important because research suggests prophylactic treatments to reduce risk of long-term sequelae.
Method: This review considers results from the lateral fluid percussion model of TBI, ballistic experiments in animal models and analyses of human studies.
Results: Taken together, these results support the hypothesis that bullet impacts distant from the brain produce pressure waves that travel to the brain and can retain sufficient magnitude to induce brain injury.
Conclusions: The link to long-term sequelae could be investigated via epidemiological studies of patients who were gunshot in the chest to determine whether they experience elevated rates of epilepsy and other neurological sequelae.
Keywords: Ballistic pressure wave; mild TBI; gunshot wound
Link to published paper:
http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~content=a780760458
Following this link beyond the abstract requires either paying a fee or having an electronic subscription (most likely through a university or medical institution.) Under the author agreement, we are allowed to provide a link to a pre-publication version of the paper.
Link to Pre-print:
http://www.ballisticstestinggroup.org/tbipwave.pdf
A second paper is also newly available:
Experimental Observations of Incapacitation via Ballistic Pressure Wave without a Wound Channel
Michael Courtney, PhD
Ballistics Testing Group, P.O. Box 24, West Point, NY 10996
[email protected]
Amy Courtney, PhD
Department of Physics, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY 10996
[email protected]
Abstract:
This article describes experimental observation that incapacitation and injury can be caused by a ballistic pressure wave independently from wounding caused by crushing effects of a bullet in the wound channel. Live animal test subjects partially immersed in water were observed to be incapacitated by a ballistic pressure wave created by a bullet passing through the water close to the test subject without hitting the test subject. The water coupled the pressure wave to the thoracic cavity of the test subject without perforation. Bullets producing larger pressure waves caused incapacitation, whereas a load producing smaller pressure waves did not.
The full paper can be found at:
http://www.ballisticstestinggroup.org/lotor.pdf
Thanks,
Michael Courtney