Analysis of Penetrating Head Impact

Impact-induced injuries can be classified into blunt and penetrating types. Penetrating injuries are often the byproduct of gunshot wounds and these injuries to the head result in significant mortality and morbidity. The objective of the study is to determine the probability of fatality as a function of admission Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and injury volumes (hematoma and edema) in gunshot wounds using computed tomography (CT) scans. Head CT images from 19 patients were analyzed. Hematoma and edema volumes were computed using grayscale equivalents and special computer software. Hematoma and edema volumes were found to be better predictors than GCS. In addition to admission GCS, hematoma and edema volumes may allow more accurate prediction of outcome, and these data should provide informed counseling of relatives and improved guidelines for more efficient resource allocation during the acute care phase.