Computed tomography (CT) in civilian gunshot head injuries in Ibadan.

BACKGROUND

There is data on civilian gunshot injuries in Nigerians. The purpose of the study is to describe the Computed Tomography findings of civilian gunshot injuries (GSI) to the head in Ibadan, Nigeria.

METHOD

This is a retrospective study of Computed Tomography (CT) films and clinical records of 28 consecutive civilian gunshot injuries to the head from 1996 to 1999.

RESULTS

The gunshot injuries to the head were mostly armed robbery related. Though there was a steady annual increase of civilian gunshot injuries during the study period, a low CT Scan frequency (0.61%) was recorded. The following CT findings were present in all the patients; bullet fragments, intraparenchymal haemorrhage, vault fractures and soft tissue swelling. The resting position of the bullets showed a predilection for the parietal lobe (32.1%) and the most common fracture site was also the parietal bone (42.8%).

CONCLUSION

CT findings simplified the management of civilian gunshot injuries to the head in the patients studied by demonstrating the exact pathology sequel to the injury. Despite important constraints, CT remains a cost effective means of managing GSI to the head.