@article{ref1,
title="Transaxial gunshot injuries",
journal="Journal of trauma",
year="1996",
author="Hirshberg, A. and Or, J. and Stein, M. and Walden, R.",
volume="41",
number="3",
pages="460-461",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: To define the clinical characteristics of gunshot injuries across the truncal midline (transaxial injuries). DESIGN: A retrospective case-control study MATERIALS AND METHODS: Analysis of a consecutive series of 223 patients with gunshot injuries to the torso treated at one trauma center. Sixty-three patients with transaxial injuries were compared to 148 patients with unilateral bullet trajectories. MAIN RESULTS: The incidence of cardiac (8%), vascular (17%), and spinal (29%) injuries and the mortality rate (29%) were significantly higher among the 63 patients with transaxial injuries compared with 148 patients with unilateral injuries. Initial operative access to the wrong visceral cavity (10%), missed injuries (14%), and early reoperations (19%) were also more common in the transaxial group. CONCLUSIONS: A transaxial bullet trajectory identifies a distinct injury pattern associated with a high incidence of major visceral damage, intraoperative misadventures, and very high mortality.<p /><p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0022-5282",
doi="",
url="http://dx.doi.org/"
}