[Gunshot injuries of the skull. Computerized tomography findings and clinical course]

The clinical and computed tomographic findings in 22 civilian cases of craniocerebral gunshot injury are reported. Fifteen out of the 19 male cases were suicidal attempts; the 3 women were shot by their husbands. In 2 cases the injuries resulted from use of a slaughterer's gun. The level of consciousness is a valuable predictor of outcome from the clinical point of view. CT findings such as bihemispheric injury and detection of intraventricular blood or air were associated with a poor outcome. Surgical intervention appears to be justified only in patients with extensive subdural or epidural hematoma. The mortality rate in this study was 45%.