title: Outcomes Following Low-Energy Civilian Gunshot Wound Trauma to the Lower Extremities: Results of a Standard Protocol at an Urban Trauma Center.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lower extremity injuries secondary to low-energy gunshot wounds are frequently seen in the civilian populations of urban areas. Although these wounds have fewer complications than high-energy gunshot injuries, the functional and psychological damage is still significant making appropriate timely orthopaedic treatment and follow-up imperative.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study is to present our outcomes in the treatment of low-energy gunshot wounds in a civilian population at an urban, level one trauma center in patients treated by a standard protocol.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and thirty three patients who sustained 148 gunshot wound injuries were treated at our level one trauma center between January 1(st), 2009 and October 1(st), 2011. Following IRB approval, we extracted information from medical records regarding hospital course, length of stay and type of operative or non-operative treatment. If available, injury and post-operative radiographs were also reviewed. Patients were contacted by telephone to obtain Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment (SMFA) surveys, pain on a scale of 0-10 and for the determination of any adverse events related to their shooting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 125 men (94.0%) and 8 women (6.0%) with an average age of 27.1 years (range 15.2-56.3). Seventy-six patients (57.1%) did not have any health insurance upon admission. The average length of stay in the hospital was 4.5 days (range 0.0-88.0). Fifty-one gun shots (34.5%) resulted in fractures of the lower extremities. Patients underwent a total of 95 lower extremity-related procedures during their hospitalization. Twenty-two patients (16.5%) experienced a complication related to their gunshot wounds. 38% of the cohort was available for long-term functional assessment At a mean 23.5 months (range 8-48) of follow up, patients reported mean Functional and Bothersome SMFA scores of 19.6 (SD 15.9) and 10.9 (SD 15.6) suggesting that these patients have poorer function scores than the general population. These patients still had pain related to their gunshot injury with an average pain score of 2.16 (range 0-8).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gunshot injuries to the extremities may involve bone, soft tissue, and neurovascular structures. Execution of appropriate therapeutic methods in such situations is critical for treating surgeons given the potential for complications. At our level one trauma center, gunshot victims were predominantly young, uninsured adult men. Complications included infection, compartment syndrome, and arterial injuries. Functional data collected demonstrated that patients continued to have difficulties with ADL's at long-term follow-up.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abghari
authors.forename: Alexa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Monroy
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schubl
authors.forename: Roy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Davidovitch
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Egol
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005592:Fracture Fixation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D017102:Fracture Healing / Q000502:physiology; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007869:Leg Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012737:Sex Factors; D017695:Soft Tissue Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D014193:Trauma Centers; D014505:Urban Population; D014948:Wounds, Gunshot / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Comminution; Gunshot wounds; Lower extremity; Soft tissue damage