Citation

Barr J, Schalick WO, Horn CB, Marble WS, Devine S, Smith DC. Ann. Surg. Open 2023; 4(3): e299.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, Wolters Kluwer)

DOI

10.1097/AS9.0000000000000299

PMID

37746595

PMCID

PMC10513126

Abstract

Gun violence killed over 46,000 Americans in 2021; almost 120,000 suffered gunshot wounds. This epidemic has attracted national attention and increasing concern from medical and surgical organizations, as evident in this special issue. 'Through and Through History' explores the surgical management of gunshot wounds from their earliest appearance in 14th-century Europe to the present. Interweaving the civilian and military experience, it details not only the evolution of care directly applied to patients but also the social, political, and scientific milieu that shaped decisions made and actions performed both in and out of the operating room. The article describes how surgeons have pushed the boundaries of medicine and science in each era, developing new therapies for their patients, a historical trend that persists today when such care has the potential to save tens of thousands of lives each year.

Language: en

Keywords

trauma; amputation; GSW; gunshot wound; history