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Ballistic Trauma
When someone is the victim of a gunshot wound, the injury sustained is categorized as ballistic trauma. The most common types of ballistic trauma stem from firing small arms such as semi-automatic pistols, light machine guns, sub-machine guns, and assault rifles used during armed combat, sporting competitions, game hunting, and various forms of illegal activity.
It is estimated that over half a million people suffer from firearm-related injuries per year; about 60 percent of these occur during armed conflict, and the other 40 percent arise out of non-conflict circumstances. Based on studies by the World Health Organization compiled from data gathered in 2001, ballistic trauma only accounts for about a quarter of the 2.3 million violent deaths occurring annually around the globe.
When tending to a wound caused by ballistic trauma, a physician's primary concern is to determine the victim's probability of survival by analyzing the internal damage caused by the bullet entry. A bullet can easily shatter a bone, and pieces of bone or shrapnel can puncture vital organs or damage the person's spinal cord. In addition to assessing the likelihood of survival, medical staff will need to figure out what the future holds in regards to the patient's health by examining the severity of the injury. Then, it can be decided whether a preventative or treatment-based approach should be taken.
The following variables should be considered when determining the severity of a gunshot wound:
- Type of weapon fired
- Caliber of weapon
- Structure of bullet and its propellant charge
- Distance between victim and shooter
- Site of injury
- Quantity of wounds
Even nonfatal bullet wounds can have devastating long-term effects ranging from disfigurement to physical disability. It is the norm for any gunshot injury to be treated as a medical emergency and require expedited hospital care.
