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Abstract
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Background and Objectives: Violent Trauma especially gunshot injuries has alarmingly increased worldwide. With the advent of insurgency to date in Nigeria, fatal gunshot injuries became serious health problem.We present a review of our management of gunshot injuries due to the insurgency and proffered suggestions on how to improve on the managements of these injuries in North-eastern Nigeria.
Patients and Methods: This is a prospective study of 147 patients managed for gunshot injuries in University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria. This study was conducted during the insurgency period between January, 2011 and December, 2013. The study population included adults and paediatric age groups. The data collected was analyzed using statistical software for social sciences (SPSS) version 20. All patients were managed by the various specialties in the hospital from the time of presentations to the hospital to the time of discharge or otherwise. Patients were then followed up accordingly.
Results: One hundred and forty-seven (147) patients with gunshot injuries were being managed during the period under review. There weremore males,134 (91.2%), than females, 13 (8.8%); (χ2=199.0 p=0.00) with M: F of 10:1. Their ages ranged from 5 - 72 years with the mean age of 38.6 years (SD±18.3). During the insurgency conflict, high velocity rifles with long gun were frequently used on 145(98.6%) patients while short guns were used on the remaining 2 (1.36%) patients.Majority of the patients,132 (89.8%) sustained multiple sites of gunshot injuries, followed by head and neck injuries occurring in 92 (62.6%) subjects. The least site of injuries was pelvic and perineum. Only 9(6.1%) patients had first aid intervention at the scene of the gunshots.Majority of the patients, 67 (45.6%), were rescued and transported to the hospital by the security operatives. The definitive treatments involved multi - disciplinary subspecialties.
Conclusion: Insurgency in the north-eastern part of Nigeria had become a burden with high morbidity and mortality. There is need to update the skills of the surgeons on the management of insurgency, combat casualties and to open well equipped trauma centre with functional standard ambulance services in this sub-region.
Language: en |