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Review
. 2023 Mar 20;15(3):e36414.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.36414. eCollection 2023 Mar.

The Role of Plastic Surgeons in Addressing Firearm Morbidity and Mortality

Rachel H Safeek  1 , Jessica Ching  1 , Harvey Chim  1 , Ellen Satteson  1
Affiliations
Review

The Role of Plastic Surgeons in Addressing Firearm Morbidity and Mortality

Rachel H Safeek et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Firearm injuries are now the leading cause of pediatric mortality in the United States. With the number of firearm injuries increasing at an alarming rate, the American Medical Association (AMA) declared firearm violence a public health crisis. In response to this emerging public health issue, the American College of Surgeons (ACS) developed the STOP THE BLEED training to educate laypersons on how to mitigate acute hemorrhage following gunshot wounds (GSWs) and other ballistic injuries. Stabilization of patients following GSWs is often handled by a multidisciplinary team of trauma and reconstructive surgeons. Here, we describe the history and ongoing role of reconstructive surgeons in preventing and addressing firearm morbidity and mortality. Hand surgeons are uniquely positioned to counsel patients on firearm safety, e.g., educating patients on proper firearm storage away from minors in the home, in an effort to mitigate accidental firearm injury to the upper extremity. As the evolving climate of firearm violence continues to rise, plastic and reconstructive surgeons will continue to play a critical role in restoring form and function among patients afflicted with GSWs.

Keywords: firearm violence; gun violence; gunshot wound; plastic surgery; reconstructive surgery.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Hand gunshot wound pinned with K-wires for fracture stabilization.
The figure is provided by the authors from our patient population. Informed consent has been obtained for the usage of the image.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Ulnar nerve defect with nerve grafting and an end-to-side anterior interosseous nerve (AIN) to ulnar nerve transfer
The figure is provided by the authors from our patient population. Informed consent has been obtained for the usage of the image.
Figure 3
Figure 3. Gunshot wound to the upper extremity with forearm wound skin graft and thumb wound/open fracture that was pinned and covered with a first dorsal metacarpal artery (FDMA) flap.
The figure is provided by the authors from our patient population. Informed consent has been obtained for the usage of the image.
Figure 4
Figure 4. Gunshot wound to the third toe with amputation, tissue rearrangement (dorsal V-Y advancement flap), and a full-thickness skin graft
The figure is provided by the authors from our patient population. Informed consent has been obtained for the usage of the image.
Figure 5
Figure 5. Mandiblular gunshot wound with mandibular reconstructive bar plate.
The figure is provided by the authors from our patient population. Informed consent has been obtained for the usage of the image.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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