FIRE ARM INJURY TO THE HEAD: A TWO YEARS EXPERIENCE AT DEPARTMENT OF NEUROSURGERY LADY READING HOSPITAL, PESHAWAR

ABSTRACT
Objective: To determine the outcome of head injury due to fire arm in Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar.
Material and Methods: This observational study was conducted in Neurosurgery Department of PGMI, Lady Reading
Hospital Peshawar from 1st June 2014 to 31st may 2016. Patients of all ages with either sex were included in this study,
while those patients of firearm having associated thoracic, abdominal or pelvic injuries were excluded. All the data was
collected by using a Performa. Data was analyzed by descriptive statistics using SPSS software version 17.
Results: Out of total 165 head injury patients due to firearm, 125 (76%) were males and 40 (24%) were females. Most
of the patients 132(80%) patients were in age range 21-40 years. At the time of initial presentation majority of the patients
(79%) presented with mild to moderate head injury. Major radiological findings were intra parenchymal bleed/
contusions (73.5%) followed by brain edema (62.4%). Most of the patients 147(89.09%) needed surgical intervention
were operated while 18(10.89%)were managed conservatively. The mortality rate was 28.48%.while 88(53.33%) were
referred to local hospitals for long term neuro-rehabilitation.
Conclusion: Majority of our patients having FAI to the head were young males,who sustained this injury due to homicide
attempt,most of them presented in the state of unconsciousness classified into mild to moderate head injury. The
major radiological findings in immediate CT scan were brain contusion, intra parenchymal bleed and bone fragments
inside brain requiring surgical intervention.Initial presenting GCS score seemed to be most reliable factor affecti