• Hikmet Turan Süslü, Erhan Celikoğlu, Ayçiçek Ceçen, and Mustafa Bozbuğa.
• Dr. Lütfi Kirdar Kartal Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. hikmets1972@yahoo.com
• Ulus Travma Acil Cer. 2005 Jul 1; 11 (3): 206-11.

BackgroundPatients with civil cranial gunshot injuries who were treated in our hospital were statistically analyzed for the factors acting on 7 days survival and prognosis without regarding treatment modalities.Material And MethodPatients were divided into two groups according to the mortality rates in 7 days following the trauma without regarding treatment modalities. Initial GCS score, pupillary response to light, coagulopathy, ventricular penetration and number of hemispheres affected are 5 differentials evaluated separately and in combination for their effects on mortality rates within 7 days posttraumatically and their statistical significance.ResultsThirty six male (75%) and 12 female (25%) patients included in the study. Total and 7 day- survival rates were 27% (13/48), and 31% (15/48) respectively. Among GCS scores, pupillary defects, coagulopathy, intraventricular penetration, the number of hemispheres affected, the most important prognostic factors of the patients living less than 7 days were found to be primarily coagulopathy and then pupillary defects. The other variables were not significantly effective and the results were in accordance with the literature.ConclusionIn civilian patients with cranial gunshot injuries pupillary defect and coagulopathy were statistically significant prognostic factors. We think that aggressive medical and surgical treatment will be beneficial even if the patients' neurological status is deteriorating.

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