Citation

MSMR 2012; 19(9): 7.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, U.S. Armed Forces Surveillance Center)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

23030774

Abstract

In October 2009, a new “external cause of injury” code was added to The International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD- 9-CM): E928.7 “Other accidental causes, mechanism or component of firearm and air gun.” This code was intended to identify gun-related injuries other than gunshot wounds that resulted from mishandling or mechanical malfunction of a gun. These include injuries due to gun recoil, powder burns, explosion of gun parts, or being pinched between moving parts of a gun (e.g., slide mechanism, trigger). Gun recoil is the most frequent cause of injury due to gun mechanism among U.S. civilians.(1) Injuries from gun mechanisms and components are unintentional, self-inflicted and largely preventable through training in proper gun handling.(1)

During January 2010 through July 2012, 400 active component U.S. service members were treated for injuries during 419 medical encounters for which the code E928.7 was recorded (Figure). Approximately 6 percent of such encounters (n=26) were hospitalizations. Most encounters involved members of the Army (60.1%), and the Army and Marine Corps had much higher overall rates of injuries than the other service branches.

The annual average number of encounters per month increased 49 percent from 2010 (10.7/month) to 2011 (15.9/month) but declined slightly during the first seven months of 2012 (14.3/month).

The vast majority (91%) of medical encounters for injuries due to gun mechanisms were reported by military medical facilities in the United States; 7 percent of encounters occurred in Europe; Japan and Korea accounted for <2 percent each.

(1) Hootman JM, Annest JL, Mercy JA, et al. National estimates of non-fatal firearm related injuries other than gunshot wounds. Inj Prev. 2000 Dec;6(4):268-274.

A figure (Medical encounters (n=419) for injuries due to “mechanism or component of firearm and air gun” (ICD-9-CM:E928.7), by month, active component, U.S. Armed Forces, January 2010-July 2012) is available:http://www.afhsc.mil/viewMSMR?file=2012/v19_n09.pdf#Page=07

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