GUNSHOT INJURIES OF THE OROFACIAL REGION

Between 2000 and 2010, approximately 10,000 gun attacks resulting in death were registered in the EU countries. In the same period and region, approximately 40,000 suicides took place, 1,500 of which were in the Czech Republic. 82% of suicides or suicide attempts using a firearm (or another projectile weapon) led to a head injury. Typically, the shots target the temporal or submental region. The severity of the suffered injuries depends besides the wound site, projectile calibre and energy also on other factors such as the projectile trajectory, formation of secondary projectiles, shot reflection from the skeletal structures, etc. Gunshot wounds aimed at the splanchnocranium usually lead to injuries of the mandible(s), maxilla(e), orbit(s) and nose, i.e. of regions associated with multiple fields of medicine requiring multidisciplinary cooperation. The presented paper aims to explain in detail the destructive effects of gunshot injuries in the orofacial regions and to describe the recommended procedure during primary medical treatment. The team of authors aimed to clearly present important information originating both from literature and practical experience with this type of injury.