Imaging Assessment of Gunshot Wounds

Evaluation of Gunshot Wounds in the Emergency Department

“…In the case of patients with head and neck injuries, CT is regarded as the most valuable imaging method for identifying pathologies and arriving at prognoses. [17] In our study, cranial CT performed on twenty-three patients in the group with head and neck injuries revealed intracranial injuries in 20 of them (87%).…”

“…In thoracoabdominal injuries, X-ray imaging is very valuable in detecting hemothorax, pneumothorax and injuries to the diaphragm, as well as spotting bullet fragments. [16,17] In our study, X-ray proved valuable in detecting pathologies in the bone tissue in 60% of extremity injury cases.…”

“…The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), Revised Trauma Score (RTS), Injury Severity Score (ISS), and the Trauma and Injury Severity Score (TRISS) probability of survival for blunt trauma and penetrating trauma were calculated for all patients. The extent of injury was graded according to the ISS as: mild (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8), moderate (9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14), severe (15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24) and critical (≥25). [2] In the present study, the evaluated parameters included mechanism of injury, results and types of diagnostic imaging, modality of treatment, consulted departments, hospitalization ratio, length of stay and complication rate and type.…”

Unusual route of a bullet: From scapula to eye

“…[21415] Since the face and neck region is packed with the vital structures in a relatively small volume of space, even the smallest of movements by a penetrating missile may injure a major vein, artery, and main nerve trunk simultaneously. Moreover, especially the injuries to the neck and maxillofacial region could end with high morbidity and mortality.…”

“…The trachea, the esophagus, the carotid and the vertebral arteries, the cervical spine and the spinal cord, the phrenic nerve, and the brachial plexus are all vulnerable to injury with neck trauma. [12] Cranio-orbital injury and fractures involving the anterior skull base and orbit also often end-up with devastating results involving critical structures, such as the contents of the superior orbital fissure and optic nerve. Complications associated with orbitocranial injuries include infectious complications (ocular infection, meningitis, meningoencephalitis, and brain abscess), traumatic arteriovenous fistula, intracranial hemorrhage, oculorrhea, loss of mental and motor function due to severe damage to the brain parenchyma, ocular motility problems, cranial nerve palsies, total loss of vision/globe, and various cosmetic problems in which interdisciplinary surgical approach was needed.…”