Conservative treatment of low velocity gunshot wounds.

A retrospective study of gunshot wounds of the extremities present 148 patients who had sufficient clinical and radiological follow-up data to assess the results. The routine treatment for this injury consisted mainly of cleansing the wound, introduction of systemic antibiotics in the emergency room followed by hospitalization. More extensive treatment and surgical debridement were done only when intraarticular or vascular injury occurred. Two patients developed infected wounds. In 6 displaced humeral shaft fractures, there were 2 non-unions and one delayed union. In 11 comminuted, displaced fractures of the femoral shaft, one non-union occurred.