title: Pattern of firearm injuries in head and neck regions at a tertiary care hospital.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the characteristics of firearm injuries on head and neck in patients presenting to the Ear Nose and Throat Department of a tertiary care hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective, cross-sectional study was conducted at the Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar, from June 2014 to May 2015, and comprised victims of firearm injuries. They were subjected to a thorough examination of the wounds specifically and the rest of the Ear, Nose and Throat, Head and Neck regions generally. Data was collected on a proforma. SPSS 16 was used for data analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of the 56 patients, 49(87.5%) were men. The overall mean age was 28.68±1.63 years (range: 6-80 years. Besides, 33(58.9%) patients were in the age range 20-40 years followed by 18(32.1%) below 20 years. Overall, 27(48.2%) patients were jobless and 24(42.9%) had education below grade ten. Pistol was the most commonly-used weapon in 28(50%).Hospital stay was 2-10 days with a mean of 4.37±1.74 days. Single-entry wound on the neck was common 21(37.5%), predominantly on the right side 24(42.9%), while there were 33(58.9%) single-exit wounds, affecting neck in 18(32.1%) cases and on the left side in 19(33.9%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Firearm injuries were common among young men who were illiterate and poor socioeconomically. Homicidal injuries mostly occurred during the daytime. Pistol was the most commonly-used weapon, while wounds on the neck were more common.
authors.affiliation: Department of ENT, Head and Neck Surgery, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Fazal I
authors.initials: FI
authors.lastname: Wahid
authors.affiliation: Govt. Naseerullah Babar Memorial Hospital, Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad Riaz
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry and Maxillofacial Surgery, Medical Teaching Institute (MTI), Lady Reading Hospital, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad Masood
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Department of ENT, Head and Neck Surgery, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Javaid
authors.affiliation: Department of ENT, Head and Neck Surgery, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Bakht
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zada
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005389:Firearms; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019838:Neck Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices; D014948:Wounds, Gunshot / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Firearm, Homicide, Suicide, Head and neck.