Spinal cord trauma by a firearm projectile: Epidemiological assessment

Objective: To evaluate the incidence of spinal cord injury caused by firearm projectile in patients admitted to the emergency room of a hospital in Curitiba (PR). Methods: This retrospective study from February 2005 to July 2008 including all victims of spinal injury caused by firearm projectile (n=54). The data were analyzed descriptively. Results: The vast majority of patients are male and of working age, with an average of 27.18 years. The thoracic spine was the most affected segment, with transfixing injury and ASIA A (complete lesion). Most cases were treated conservatively. The period of the week where there was a higher incidence was the weekend, mostly on Saturday and Friday. The most common reason was armed robbery. Conclusion: These are lesions with a high impact on the cost of public health and social security, as are injuries that result in high morbidity and involve predominantly people in the productive age group.