Demographic characteristics of orofacial gunshot injury victims

Abstract

Objective: To study the demographic characteristics of orofacial gunshot injury victims in University ofBenin Teaching Hospital,Benin City,Nigeria.

Methodology: This 5 year retrospective study was carried out at theUniversity ofBenin Teaching Hospital between January 2001 and December 2005. All patients with orofacial gunshot injury were identified from the Accident and Emergency Department log book and their case notes subsequently retrieved. . The data collected were: age, gender, occupation, time of injury, location of shooting incident, cause of gunshot and type of firearm implicated.

Results: A total of 47 cases were retrieved making it, an average of approximately 9 cases per year. About three quarters (76.6%) of victims were male. The 20-39 year age group consisted about 74.5% of the victims but peak incidence was seen in the 20-29 year age group. Undergraduates constituted 40.4% of the victims.  Orofacial gunshot injuries occurred as broad daylight events as almost half (48.9%) occurred between 12.01p.m and 6p.m. Majority of the gunshot attacks occurred indoors (63.8%) and about 25.5% occurred on the highways. In this study, reduction and immobilization was the commonest hard tissue treatment while local flap transfer/flap repair was the commonest soft tissue treatment. The mortality rate recorded was 21.3%.

Conclusion: Orofacial gunshot injuries commonly affect young male undergraduates. Most shootings occur indoors and in broad daylight.  This information is important in development of educational framework on security and in the training of oral/maxillofacial surgeons and plastic surgeons to meet the demands.