title: Pediatric air gun shot injury.
abstract: Air guns (AGs) use air or another compressed gas to propel a projectile. Different injuries may occur in children due to their body structure, which is less-resistant with thin soft tissue coverage that can be easily penetrated by an AG shot. We present 3 cases of pediatric AG shot injury. The first-case had right lumber deep tissue penetration of AG pallet without internal damage, the second-case had a complex course of pellet into the perineum, and the third-case was shot in the left shoulder. All cases were accidentally shot. The shooters were all children, and relatives of the victims. All patients were generally stable on arrival. Two cases were operated, and one received conservative management. On follow up, no complications were noted.  At first sight, AGs and air rifles may appear relatively harmless, but they are potentially lethal and children should not be allowed to play with them.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Surgery Department, Al-Hada Armed Forces Hospital, Taif, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. E-mail. ubaidafr@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ubaid U
authors.initials: UU
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Naglaa M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Kamal
authors.forename: Shazia J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Mirza
authors.forename: Laila M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Sherief
mesh_terms: D019567:Back Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D064131:Back Muscles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008297:Male; D010502:Perineum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries*; D011859:Radiography; D012782:Shoulder / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D000070599:Shoulder Injuries; D014948:Wounds, Gunshot / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*