The treatment of patients suffered from gunshot wounds of maxillofacilal area caused by limited weapon

Abstract

Objective: to examine the features of clinics, diagnostics and surgical treatment of multiple gunshot facial and head wounds caused by limited weapon as the most often occurred and poorly studied type of peace-time gunshot wounds. Material and methods. The gunshot wounds of various localizations were seen at 602 clinical cases among all patients admitted to St Petersburg hospitals within 10 years (from 2004 till 2013) according to our biometric analysis. The maxillofacilal wounds were revealed at 107 (17,8%) patients. These patients were divided into the following groups according to the type of used fire-arms: limited weapon - 44 (62,0%) patients; portable firearms - 11; shot-gun - 4; air weapon - 10; pyrotechnics (signal rockets) - 2. There were no gunshot wounds caused by high-speed shooting automatic firearms (which are specified for war-time) among examined patients. Results. This conducted study allowed making conclusion that gunshot wounds by limited weapon have the characteristics of wounds caused by low-speed fire-arms. The optimal method for diagnostics of such gunshot wounds is computer tomography. Conclusion. The surgical strategy for treatment of patients with gunshot wounds from the limited weapon is similar to the guidelines used for the treatment of gunshot wounds but it must be mercifully. Endoscopic surgery is the advantageous method for treatment of such wounds in the regions of midface and upper face zone.