Joo Jeong Il, Lee Changsin, Lee Kyungwon
Department of Surgery, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Armed Forces Trauma Center, Armed Forces Capital Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
J Trauma Inj. 2024 Dec;37(4):262-267. doi: 10.20408/jti.2024.0037. Epub 2024 Dec 4.
Blank cartridges are designed to produce the sound and gas flare of a gunshot without firing a bullet. However, blank cartridge shots (BCS) can still cause injuries ranging from minor to life-threatening. Within the South Korean military, most BCS-related injuries have occurred during suicide attempts. This study documents a case series of patients who sustained injuries from BCS during such attempts.
We examined the medical records of Korean soldiers at a military trauma center between April 2022 and April 2024 who had sustained injuries from BCS during suicide attempts. The analyzed data included general characteristics, injury site, surgical and psychiatric interventions, and length of hospitalization.
The case series included five patients between 19 and 20 years old (mean age, 19.6±0.55 years). Four of these patients sustained self-inflicted gunshot wounds to the submandibular area, while one targeted the right temporal area. Although initial vital signs and laboratory findings were unremarkable, computed tomography scans revealed injuries from projectile gas and gunpowder, including burns, subcutaneous emphysema, and major structural damage. Cases 1 and 2 required emergency surgery for foreign body removal and debridement. The average length of hospitalization was 35.2±12.11 days. Patients were first admitted to the trauma surgery department for BCS injury management, and then transferred to the psychiatry department for emotional support. The average stay was 15.6±15.87 days in trauma surgery and 19.6±14.99 days in psychiatry.
This study highlights the consequences of BCS from suicide attempts in the South Korean military and provides valuable insights for medical personnel who may encounter patients with BCS injuries.
空包弹旨在产生枪声和枪焰，但不发射子弹。然而，空包弹射击（BCS）仍可能导致从轻微到危及生命的伤害。在韩国军队中，大多数与BCS相关的伤害发生在自杀未遂期间。本研究记录了一系列在这类自杀未遂中因BCS而受伤的患者病例。
我们查阅了2022年4月至2024年4月期间在一家军事创伤中心的韩国士兵的医疗记录，这些士兵在自杀未遂时因BCS而受伤。分析的数据包括一般特征、受伤部位、手术和精神科干预措施以及住院时间。
该病例系列包括5名年龄在19至20岁之间的患者（平均年龄为19.6±0.55岁）。其中4名患者对下颌下区域进行了自伤性枪伤，而1名患者的目标是右侧颞部区域。尽管初始生命体征和实验室检查结果无异常，但计算机断层扫描显示有弹丸气体和火药造成的损伤，包括烧伤、皮下气肿和主要结构损伤。病例1和病例2需要进行急诊手术以取出异物和清创。平均住院时间为35.2±12.11天。患者首先因BCS损伤管理被收治到创伤外科，然后转至精神科接受情感支持。在创伤外科的平均住院时间为15.6±15.87天，在精神科为19.6±14.99天。
本研究强调了韩国军队中自杀未遂时BCS的后果，并为可能遇到BCS受伤患者的医务人员提供了有价值的见解。
