Civilian Abdominal Gunshot Injuries at Awka, Nigeria

Mbah N

Department of Surgery, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH), Nigeria

^*Correspondance to: Nonso Mbah 

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Abstract:

Within a developing nation, the hospital care of abdominal gunshot injuries are fraught with numerous challenges which impact negatively on the clinical outcome. These limitations include late presentation and inability to afford the cost of care. This retrospective study was conducted to audit the pattern of abdominal injuries from gunshot in a capital city in the South-Eastern part of Nigeria, which is famous for the blacksmith trade. From January through December 2022, abdominal gunshot injuries were seen in 19 (46.3%) of the 41 patients who presented with firearm trauma at the University Teaching Hospital in Awka, Nigeria. All the victims were males, mean age was 34.2 years. The average duration of injury prior to hospital presentation was 17.3 h. The small and large bowel were injured in 14 (73.7%) patients. One (5.3%) patient died. A hospital policy which facilitates prompt surgical intervention accounts for satisfactory clinical outcome.

Keywords:

Firearms; Civilian population; Unknown gun men; Emergency care policy

Cite the Article:

Mbah N. Civilian Abdominal Gunshot Injuries at Awka, Nigeria. World J Surg Surgical Res. 2024; 7: 1523..