"Is this a dagger I see before me?"--an audit of stabbings and gunshot wounds in Limerick.
BACKGROUND
According to a recent study in Cardiff, the incidence of stab wounds is 14 per 100,000 population per annum. No such figures are available for Ireland.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the incidence, type of injury, medical consequences and outcome of patients with stab or gunshot wounds presenting to the Mid-Western Regional Hospital, Limerick, over a 12 month period.


METHODS
A retrospective case study of all stab and gunshot wounds presenting over a 12 month period.


RESULTS
Out of 62,000 new presentations to the Accident and Emergency (A&E) department, 101 (0.16%) were stabbings, giving an incidence of 33 per 100,000 population. Twenty-six patients required surgical intervention. There were three deaths. There were 10 gunshot wounds, of which 40% required surgical intervention, with no mortalities.


CONCLUSIONS
The incidence of stab wounds presenting to our institution is high. Although constituting a small percentage of presentations to the A&E department they result in considerable morbidity and surgical activity.
Shabbir
J
J
Department of Surgery, Mid-Western Regional Hospital and National Institute of Health Sciences, University of Limerick, Ireland.
McDonnell
C O
CO
O'Sullivan
J B
JB
Cahill
K
K
Moore
A
A
Raminlagan
R
R
Quinn
G
G
Grace
P A
PA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014948:Wounds, Gunshot / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014951:Wounds, Stab / Q000453:epidemiology*