Publication:

Abdominal gunshot wound: a case report

Firearm injuries pose an escalating health concern worldwide and contribute significantly to trauma-related mortality and disability. We hereby report one such case of firearm injury where a 20-year-old male came to the trauma care centre with a penetrating abdominal injury, and the bullet was trapped in the pelvic bone. The associated bowel injuries were with intraoperative findings of jejunal perforations, colonic mesenteric injury and retroperitoneal haematoma that was managed by exploratory laparotomy with repair of associated injuries. The bullet, however, was not removed. The report aims to highlight the management of firearm injury and emphasise that bullet removal may not be necessary in all cases, depending on the site and structure of retention in relation to associated patient factors.