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Gunshot Wounds and Orthopaedic Injury at a Pediatric Level I Trauma Center
Jacob D Kodra1, Elizabeth Cinquegrani1, Milan Patel1
1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Children's Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
Insights
Pediatric gunshot wounds (GSWs) have nearly doubled in incidence, disproportionately affecting Black children and often involving orthopaedic injuries. Improved multidisciplinary care is crucial for better follow-up and reduced complications.
Area of Science:
- Orthopaedic Surgery
- Pediatric Trauma
- Public Health
Background:
- Firearm-related injuries are a significant cause of pediatric mortality and morbidity.
- Orthopaedic firearm injuries are linked to higher mortality rates, particularly in disadvantaged populations.
- Characterizing these injuries and identifying risk factors is critical for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the patterns of gunshot wound (GSW) injuries in pediatric patients at a level I trauma center.
- To identify risk factors associated with GSW injuries in affected pediatric populations.
- To analyze trends in pediatric GSW injuries over an 11-year period.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of pediatric patients (0-17 years) treated for GSWs from April 2012 to October 2023.
- Classification of orthopaedic injuries into specific anatomical locations (e.g., upper extremity, hand/wrist, femur).
- Statistical analysis using chi-squared tests and linear regression to identify injury trends and associations.
Main Results:
- A total of 283 pediatric GSW patients were analyzed, with 55.8% requiring orthopaedic intervention.
- The annual incidence of pediatric GSWs nearly doubled from 2012-2019 to 2020-2023.
- Most patients requiring orthopaedic intervention were Black or African American (81.6%), and 74.0% were lost to follow-up.
Conclusions:
- Pediatric orthopaedic firearm injuries have significantly increased, nearly doubling in volume.
- These injuries disproportionately impact Black or African American children and are complicated by high rates of lost follow-up.
- Multidisciplinary, orthopaedic-centered care is essential for improving patient follow-up and mitigating long-term complications.
Background:
Gunshot wounds (GSWs) and firearm-related injuries are a leading cause of pediatric unintentional injury and death. Orthopaedic firearm injuries are also associated with higher than anticipated mortality, disproportionately affecting socioeconomically and racially disadvantaged patients. The purpose of this study was to characterize GSW injuries at our institution and to identify associated risk factors for these injuries in affected populations.
Methods:
A retrospective review was performed of patients aged 0-17 years who were treated for a GSW from April 2012 to October 2023 at our pediatric level I trauma center. Orthopaedic injuries were grouped as follows: upper extremity fractures (clavicle, humerus, forearm, etc.), hand/wrist fractures, femur fractures, tibia/fibula fractures, foot/ankle fractures, and all others. Statistical analyses included χ2 tests to compare injury types between groups, and a linear regression model to evaluate trends in injuries over time.
Results:
A total of 283 GSW patients (17.7% female, 82.3% male) were analyzed, including 158 patients (55.8%) requiring orthopaedic intervention, of which 140 sustained fractures in common extremity locations. Most patients self-identified as Black or African American (81.6%) or White (9.9%), with the remainder reporting other races (8.6%). Mean age at injury was 14.6 years. Among patients requiring orthopaedic intervention, 32.9% underwent open reduction and internal fixation and 22.9% were treated with casting or splinting with or without closed reduction. One hundred seventeen patients (74.0%) were lost to follow-up. The annual number of pediatric gunshot-related injuries nearly doubled, increasing from 101 patients in 2012-2019 to 182 patients in 2020-2023.
Conclusions:
Pediatric gunshot-related orthopaedic injuries increased substantially over the study period, nearly doubling in annual volume over recent years. These injuries disproportionately affected Black or African American children and were frequently complicated by poor postoperative follow-up. Multidisciplinary, orthopaedic-centered care with close attention to at-risk patients is essential to improve follow-up and reduce long-term complications.
Key Concepts:
(1)Pediatric gunshot-related injuries have increased substantially in recent years, nearly doubling in volume at our institution.(2)These injuries disproportionately affected Black or African American children in our urban pediatric trauma population.(3)Multidisciplinary, orthopaedic-centered care with close attention to at-risk patients is essential to improve follow-up and reduce long-term complications.
Level Of Evidence:
IV, Retrospective Cohort.
