Gunshot Wounds: Ballistics, Pathology, and Treatment Recommendations, with a Focus on Retained Bullets

As the epidemic of gunshot injuries and firearm fatalities continues to proliferate in the United States, knowledge regarding gunshot wound (GSW) injury and management is increasingly relevant to health-care providers. Unfortunately, existing guidelines are largely outdated, written in a time that h...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Orthopedic research and reviews 2022-01, Vol.14, p.293-317
Main Authors: Baum, Gracie R, Baum, Jaxon T, Hayward, Dan, MacKay, Brendan J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Ammunition
Antibiotics
Ballistics
Care and treatment
Debridement
Development and progression
Energy
Epidemics
Evidence-based medicine
Firearms
gunshot injuries
Health care industry
Injuries
orthopedic surgery
retained bullets
Review
Trauma
Velocity
Wounds and injuries
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Summary:As the epidemic of gunshot injuries and firearm fatalities continues to proliferate in the United States, knowledge regarding gunshot wound (GSW) injury and management is increasingly relevant to health-care providers. Unfortunately, existing guidelines are largely outdated, written in a time that high-velocity weapons and deforming bullets were chiefly restricted to military use. Advances in firearm technology and increased accessibility of military grade firearms to civilians has exacerbated the nature of domestic GSW injury and complicated clinical decision-making, as these weapons are associated with increased tissue damage and often result in retained bullets. Currently, there is a lack of literature addressing recent advances in the field of projectile-related trauma, specifically injuries with retained bullets. This review aims to aggregate the available yet dispersed findings regarding ballistics, GSW etiology, and treatment, particularly for cases involving retained projectiles.
ISSN:1179-1462
1179-1462
DOI:10.2147/ORR.S378278