Citation

Stricker SJ, Volgas DA. Orthopedics 1998; 21(10): 1095-1110.

Affiliation

Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation, University of Miami School of Medicine, Jackson Memorial Medical Center, Fla 33101, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1998, Healio)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

9801233

Abstract

The majority of gunshot wounds in the urban pediatric population are inflicted by handguns. This study reviewed the trauma center management of 66 handgun injuries to the upper and lower extremities among 51 children who were aged < or =16 years. As expected, gunshot wounds were more frequent in adolescent males and were usually intentional. About half of the children had police records prior to the gunshot wounds. Fifty-two percent of the extremity handgun injuries resulted in fractures, most commonly to the tibia or forearm. Seventy-nine orthopedic procedures were recorded with an average hospital stay of 4.3 days. Permanent morbidity was undoubtedly underestimated due to poor long-term follow-up.

Language: en