title: Analysis of projectile destructive effect in missile injury to the brain.
abstract: During the war in Croatia so far, more than 250 casualties having missile wounds of the brain, spinal chord and peripheral nervous system were admitted to the Neurosurgical Clinic, University Hospital-Rebro. These injuries were mainly caused by low-velocity missiles. However, the high-velocity ones, used nowadays, in direct injury to the head, cause destruction of the brain that is incompatible with survival in most of the cases. This paper deals with a patient injured by a 7.62 mm projectile. The mechanism of the brain destruction is not completely clear since the missile was found at the very entrance of the missile wound, while the brain was destroyed up to the opposite side of the endocranium. Four mechanisms of the missile's effect aimed at explaining the cause of death of the patient, as well as the bizarre position of the missile, were taken into consideration. The review shows how perilous a wound from a direct missile injury to the head could be, regardless of its speed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Medical Faculty, University of Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Melada
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Skavić
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Iveković
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stancić
mesh_terms: D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014948:Wounds, Gunshot / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*