Gunshot injuries in Owerri, a 10 years (2001-2010) postmortem study

Nnadi Ikechukwu Godfrey Nnadi Ikechukwu Godfrey,Odowueze Egejuru Raphael Odowueze Egejuru Raphael

doi:10.30574/wjarr.2020.7.2.0011

Nnadi Ikechukwu Godfrey Nnadi Ikechukwu Godfrey, Odowueze Egejuru Raphael Odowueze Egejuru Raphael

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.30574/wjarr.2020.7.2.0011

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Abstract

This study is to establish the demographic parameters, typical entry and exit wound sites, immediate causes of death and annual incidence of gunshot injuries in Owerri. The records of gunshot victims in the case notes, Post-mortem registers, departmental and medical records databases of FMC Owerri were used as the sources of data for this study from January 2001 to December 2010. One hundred and one cases of gunshot injuries (GSI) that resulted in death met the inclusion criteria of this study. Ninety-six per cent of the victims were males; mean age was 52.2±21.3 years and age range of 19-71 years. The most affected age groups were those in the 21-30 years age groups followed by 31-40 years. The most frequent site of entry wound was thorax (36.7%), followed by head and neck region (22.8%), abdomen (19.8%) and lower limbs (13.9%). A total of 56.4% (57cases) had established sites of exit wounds while in 33.7% (34 cases) the exit wounds were not defined. The incidence of GSI was highest in 2003 (17.82%), followed by 2008 (14.85%) and 2007 (13.46%). The immediate causes of death were a haemorrhagic shock in 84 cases (83.2%), head injuries with skull fractures 10cases (9.9%) and septicaemia in 7 cases (6.9%). Effective legislation and gun control policy would prevent the unnecessary death of our young men through violence, gangsterism and substance abuse.

Highlights

Deaths due to gunshot injuries continue to increase the world over with variation in its incidence in different parts of the world [1]
The severity of gunshot injuries depends on the effects of the mechanical interaction between the bullet and tissues with resultant cavities produced by the pellets [3]
In high-income countries like the USA, a significant number of gunshot wounds relates to suicide attempts unlike in developing countries where the spates of communal and ethnic clashes, political violence and armed robberies are the predominant causes of gunshot injuries (GSI) [4, 5, 6]

Summary

Introduction

Deaths due to gunshot injuries continue to increase the world over with variation in its incidence in different parts of the world [1]. Obalum et al [2] reported that the rising incidence rate of gunshot injuries (GSI) remains one of the leading causes of death, extended hospitalization and economic losses worldwide. In Maiduguri, Abbas et al [7] reported that gunshot injuries were rare in Nigeria until the civil war of 1967-1970, with marked involvement of males. Besides its medical importance, an enormous economic impact as the third most costly aetiology of injury and the fourth most expensive form of hospitalization [8]

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