Predictors of Infection and Benefit of Antibiotics in Gunshot Wounds to the Face.

Abstract

Gunshot wounds (GSWs) to the face are at high risk for infection due the extent of tissue injury and often-observed violation of oral and sinus cavities. Given the ambiguous data on antibiotic benefit in GSW to the face, the purpose of this study is to characterize antibiotic usage, infection details, and risk factors associated with higher infection rates in GSW to face. We conducted a retrospective review of patients presenting with GSW to the face from 2009 to 2017. The primary outcome was to identify risk factors associated with infections in patients with facial GSWs. A stepwise multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to determine the impact of specific injury details. Two hundred sixty-nine patients qualified for the study. Demographic information and details of hospital stay are presented in tables. Most patients (88.8%) received admission antibiotics. Facial infections were observed in 36 patients (13.4%). The infected cohort required more antibiotic days (P < 0.001), higher percentage of invasive airway procedures (P = 0.01), longer length of stay (P < 0.001), greater number of surgeries (P < 0.022), and higher readmission rates (P < 0.001). Factors associated with head or neck infections included oral cavity (odds ratio, 1.23; P = 0.04) and sinus involvement (odds ratio, 1.10; P = 0.045). Bullet trajectories that violated the oral or maxillary sinus cavities were associated with higher head and neck infection rates. Patients without oral cavity or sinus involvement had a lower chance (4.1%) of developing an infection and therefore may have marginal benefit from antibiotics.