Characteristics and outcomes of gunshot-acquired spinal cord injury in South Africa

Abstract

Spinal cord injuries (SCIs) caused by assault present a unique challenge facing the healthcare system, in that very little is known about how these injuries manifest compared with other causes of injury. Understanding the nuances of gunshot SCIs could contribute towards better care provision. To determine the characteristics of gunshot SCI and compare both injury characteristics and outcomes between gunshot SCI and all other traumatic causes taken together. The gunshot SCI sub-cohort was derived from a 1-year prospective, population-based study, including both tertiary-level hospitals providing SCI care in the Cape Metropolitan area of South Africa (SA). All consenting 145 survivors, after a window period of 7 days, were included, and their demographic and injury characteristics were captured according to the International SCI Core Basic Data Set. Further, selected secondary medical complications (outcomes) were prospectively and routinely assessed throughout acute care. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to describe and compare characteristics and outcomes, respectively.