Management challenges in a short-range low-velocity gunshot injury

Abstract

The use of firearms is becoming more prevalent in the society and hence the number of homicidal and suicidal cases. The severity of gunshot wounds varies depending on the weapons caliber and the distance of firing. Close-range, high-velocity gunshot wounds in the head and neck region can result in devastating esthetic and functional impairment. The complexity in facial skeletal anatomy cause multiple medical and surgical challenges to an operating surgeon, demanding elaborate soft and hard tissue reconstructions. Here we present the successful management of a patient shot by a low-velocity short-range pistol with basic life support measures, wound management, reconstruction, and rehabilitation.