Medical journal, Armed Forces India
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During a period of one year, from Jan 99 to Dec 99, 60 cases of missile injuries were treated at our centre. 59 were males and one was a female and their average age was 25 years. 43 patients had suffered splinter injuries, 12 had gunshot wounds and 5 had suffered injuries by improvised explosive devices. Glasgow coma scale was < 5 in 8 patients, 5-8 in 14, 8-12 in 30 and 13-15 in 8 patients. Extensive comminution of skull bones was found in 10 patients. 35 patients had more or less clear penetration of the skull and the rest had orbito-cranial or facio-cranial wounds. ⋯ Two patients developed wound sepsis, one each developed aspiration pneumonia, septicemia, deep vein thrombosis and post-traumatic hydrocephalus. On follow up at 6 months, outcome as per Glasgow outcome scale was as follows: good outcome - 42, moderate disability in 7, severe disability in 6 and death in 5 patients. Retained bone fragments were found in 40% on follow up CT scan but none had brain abscess.