Citation

Dalgiç A, Okay O, Ergüngör FM, Uçkun O, Nacar OA, Yıldırım AE. Ulus. Travma Acil Cerrahi Derg. 2010; 16(5): 473-476.

Affiliation

2nd Department of Neurosurgery, Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. dalgica@superonline.com

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Ulusal Travma ve Acil Cerrahi Dernegi)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

21038129

Abstract

Air guns (AGs) are arms that use air or another compressed gas to propel a projectile. Generally, brain injury may occur in children due to their incomplete skull development; however, the less-resistant and thin region of the skull in adults may also be penetrated by an AG shot. In this paper, we present three adult cases treated in our clinic for brain injury caused by an AG. The first case had brain and skull damage related to the high pressure of the compressed gas, and the others additionally had foreign bodies in their brain. All of the patients were operated. Two were discharged without neurological deficit; the third case had a permanent slight hemiparesis. Average follow-up was 11 months and no abscess formation was observed in this period. AGs are known as low-velocity arms; however, they have the potential to cause brain injury, and brain penetration may occur especially in the relatively less resistant and thin sites of the skull such as the orbit and temporal and occipital bones. As cerebrospinal fluid leakage is one of the expected conditions, urgent surgery is usually required.

Language: en