Principles of management of shotgun wounds.
As an instrument of close range combat, the shotgun has no parallel. At short distances, its destructive capacity parallels that seen from high velocity missile injury. In this study, the history of the shotgun, wound ballistics, principles of initial therapy and special management problems related to shotgun wounds of specific sites are reviewed. An analysis of pooled data on abdominal shotgun wounds is presented. A subset of patients who do not require abdominal exploration exists. Specific problems encountered in defining this subset are enumerated. Three algorithms are presented that summarize our current management approach to shotgun wounds of the torso and extremities.
Walker
M L
ML
Department of Surgery, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30335.
Poindexter
J M
JM
Stovall
I
I
D000007:Abdominal Injuries / Q000628:therapy; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000628:therapy; D005389:Firearms / Q000266:history; D049668:History, 15th Century; D049669:History, 16th Century; D049670:History, 17th Century; D049671:History, 18th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000628:therapy; D014680:Veins / Q000293:injuries; D014948:Wounds, Gunshot / Q000628:therapy*