Pneumatic firearm injuries: trivial trauma or perilous pitfalls?
This report describes an injury due to a pneumatic firearm. Though powder firearm injuries are generally considered serious, pneumatic weapon injuries are often viewed as minor or insignificant trauma. Children and adolescents primarily wield these weapons contributing to their "harmless" aura. However, dramatic increases in muzzle and impact velocities have transformed the newer generation of pneumatic firearms into formidable weapons. Consequently, the literature is replete with increasing incidences of serious injury due to pneumatic weapons.
Department of Emergency Medicine, St. Joseph Hospital, Lancaster, Pennsylvania 17603.
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Lucas
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Mitterer
D002648:Child; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005389:Firearms; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D012886:Skull / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014948:Wounds, Gunshot / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery