Gunshot Injuries, A 10-years Experience in a Private Hospital

This paper reports the experience of the authors with 59 cases of gunshot injuries admitted and treated at Lagoon Hospital, a forty-bed private hospital in Lagos, Nigeria, over a 10 year period (1987 - 1996). 44(74.6%) out of the 59 patients were seen in the second half of the study period, that is 1992 – 1996, a period of heightened socio-economic problems and political upheaval. There were 54(91.5%) males and 5(8.5%) females. The average age of the patients was 37.9 years. Of the 59 cases, only 15 (25.4%) patients sustained multiple regions injuries. 44(74.6%) had single region injuries. 40 patients presented to our hospital within 24 hours of the injury. We found this early presentation to be associated with good prognosis. There were altogether two deaths, suggesting a mortality rate of 3.4% among cases to the hospital. NQJHM Vol. 14 (3&4) 2004: pp. 302-30