The displacement of tissue away from the path of a projectile, both temporarily and permanently, is known as:

Cavitation refers to the phenomenon where a projectile, such as a bullet, creates a temporary cavity in the tissue as it moves through. This occurs due to the high energy and speed of the projectile, which displaces the surrounding tissue both temporarily during the initial passage and can lead to permanent damage to the tissue structures surrounding the path of the projectile.

In the context of trauma, understanding cavitation is essential because it helps to explain the extent of injury that might not only be visible on the surface but also occurs deeper within the body. This can contribute to significant morbidity and influences treatment decisions in trauma care.

The other terms have distinct meanings related to injury: concussion refers to a traumatic brain injury caused by a blow to the head, contusion is a bruise resulting from trauma to soft tissue, and traction is a method used to stabilize fractures and is not directly related to the effect of a projectile on tissue.