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[Comparison of soft tissue and bone injuries caused by handgun or rifle bullets: an experimental study]
A Ihsan Uzar1, Mehmet Dakak, Köksal Oner
1Gülhane Askeri Tip Akademisi, Genel Cerrahi Anabilim Dali, Ankara, Turkey.
Objectives:
The aim of this study was to investigate the factors that influence the severity of soft tissue and bone injuries occurring in gunshot traumas and to compare the effects of handgun and rifle bullets on these injuries.
Methods:
Sixteen tissue simulants which were made of transparent gel candle blocks and calibrated to muscle tissue were targetted by pistol (9 mm parabellum) or military rifle (G-3) bullets. Half of the blocks contained fresh calf humerus bone. The effects of the bullets in tissue simulants were monitored by using high velocity cameras capable of taking 1,000 views per second.
Results:
On a millisecond time scale, handgun bullets produced a small-sized temporary cavity while rifle bullets produced a wide temporary cavity in isolated soft tissue simulants. It was shown that the differences in the size of temporary cavities resulting from the blast effect correlated highly with the severity of injury occurring in soft tissues. In samples at which calf humerus bone was targetted, we observed that fragmentation and cavity effects correlated highly with the velocity of the bullet and determined the severity of injury.
Conclusion:
Experimental demonstration of differences in the size and severity of injuries caused by handgun or rifle bullets may have significant implications in the planning of treatment.