The British journal of surgery
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Fifty patients with penetrating wounds of the heart were grouped into three categories, based on the clinical severity of the injuries. Gunshot wounds consistently resulted in a higher mortality than knife wounds. ⋯ The survival rates in the respective groups were 6, 79 and 100 per cent. The improved survival in our series was due to a rapid transportation system, increased awareness of the significance of cardiac injuries and an aggressive surgical approach.
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A review of all patients with major head injuries transferred to a regional neurosurgical unit for the years 1975 and 1976 has been carried out for comparison with the total number of patients with head injury admitted to district general hospitals of the region. Fifty-four per cent of patients admitted to the neurosurgical unit have resumed their old occupation and 20 per cent died. The significance of these figures is discussed, particularly in the light of the need for a more comprehensive policy for treating head injuries within the United Kingdom.