title: Self-inflicted gunshot wounds to the head during the war and post-war period.
abstract: Thirty-five patients with self-inflicted gunshot brain injury were admitted to our hospital during 1991-96. War conditions and availability of firearms influenced the increase in these injuries, nearly six times greater than in the previous 6-year peace time period (1985-90). Our management protocol consisted of radical debridement of the missile track and evacuation of haematomata. For in-driven bone fragments we followed a less radical approach, but, if a post-operative computed tomogram (CT) showed a cluster of retained bone fragments, we operated on this. Attention was paid to the development of intracranial infection performing in such cases a contrast enhanced brain computed tomography. Ten patients died early and 29 were managed operatively. Twelve survived, and were followed-up for up to 60 months. No case of suicide recidivism was noted. We conclude that patients with a Glasgow Coma score of 3 should not be considered for operation. Per-operatively ultrasonography was very helpful in localizing and extracting in-driven bone fragments. Post-operatively, a CT scan is needed to demonstrate retained bone fragments.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurosurgery, Osijek Clinical Hospital, Croatia.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vranković
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Splavski
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hećimović
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Glavina
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mursić
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Blagus
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dmitrović
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D017523:Croatia; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013406:Suicide, Attempted; D015996:Survival Rate; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014857:Warfare; D014948:Wounds, Gunshot / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*