TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2015//
TI  - The impact of the method of gunshot injury: war injuries vs. stray bullets vs. civilian fighting
JO  - Journal of the College of Physicians and Surgeons -- Pakistan : JCPSP
A1  - Mansor, Salah
A1  - Bodalal, Zuhir
SP  - 281
EP  - 285
VL  - 25
IS  - 4
N2  - OBJECTIVE: To analyze the impact of the method of Gunshot Injury (GSI) (i.e. war injuries, stray bullets, and civilian fighting) on patient morbidity and mortality. STUDY DESIGN: An observational study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Biostatistics Department of Al-Jalaa Hospital in Benghazi, Libya, from January to December 2011. <br><br>METHODOLOGY: Patients' records were analyzed with the method of gunshot injury as a classifying/comparative parameter. Age, gender, site of injury, receiving department, ICU admission, city of origin, length of stay, morbidity and mortality were determined and compared between the different methods of GSI. <br><br>RESULTS: During the conflict, 1761 gunshot injuries were treated at the hospital. The method of injury was recorded for 62% (n=1096) of the cases and were classified under war injuries (72.2%, n=791), stray bullets (14.1%, n=155), and civilian fighting (13.7%, n=150). Nearly all the patients being treated for civilian fighting (98%, n=147) were males, (stray bullets, 82.6%, n=128, and war injuries 98.4%, n=778). Women were significantly less involved in a war injury (1.6%, n=13, p < 0.001). Stray bullets affected the younger age groups i.e. ² 19 years (26.5%, n=41) more than either fighting injuries (8%, n=12) or war injuries (11.8%, n=93, p < 0.001). Civilian fighting injuries (83.3%, n=125) mostly involved the 20-39 years age group (p < 0.001). Fighting wounds and stray bullets were more common in an urban (82.7%, n=124) rather than rural setting (p < 0.001); the same was true for stray bullets (76.8%, n = 119). The number of GSI's showed a close relationship with major events in society (i.e. military campaigns, celebration and civilian unrest). Significantly higher mortality rates were observed in civilian fighting injuries (7.7%, n=12, p=0.003) and stray bullets (10%, n=15, p=0.003) compared to general GSI's (5.2%, n=91) and war injuries (4.4%, n=35). <br><br>CONCLUSION: Surgeons and general physicians need to be aware that GSI's differ in their salient features and outcome based on the method of injury.    Keywords: Celebratory gunfire<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1022-386X
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/04.2015/JCPSP.281285
ID  - ref1
ER  -