title: Gunshot wounds: epidemiology, wound ballistics, and soft-tissue treatment.
abstract: The extremities are the most common anatomic location for gunshot wounds. Because of the prevalence of gunshot injuries, it is important that orthopaedic surgeons are knowledgeable about caring for them. The most common injuries seen with gunshot wounds are those of the soft tissues. Nonsurgical management of patients who have gunshot wounds with minimal soft-tissue disruption has been successfully accomplished in emergency departments for several years; this includes extremity wounds without nerve, intra-articular, or vascular injury. Stable, nonarticular fractures of an extremity have also been successfully treated with either minimal surgical or nonsurgical methods in the emergency department. Indications for surgical treatment include unstable fractures, intra-articular injuries, a significant soft-tissue injury (especially with skin loss), vascular injury, and/or a large or expanding hematoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: Paul J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Dougherty
authors.forename: Soheil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Najibi
authors.forename: Craig
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Silverton
authors.forename: Rahul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vaidya
mesh_terms: D044709:Forensic Ballistics; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000293:injuries; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D017695:Soft Tissue Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014948:Wounds, Gunshot / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery