ABSTRACT
Gunshot injuries to the head and brain are rare in Germany and the rest of western Europe. With the relatively low number of these injuries here, there are no standard methods of diagnosis and management, and there is some controversy over both. Quite a high proportion of such injuries result from suicide attempts and accidents. The main diagnostic procedure available is computed tomography of the head with contrast medium; in certain cases MRI is indicated. The operative management depends on the extent and prognosis of the injury; a ventricular drain is probably indicated in most cases. Debridement of the bullet's path and removal of the projectile are more controversial. Mortality is extremely high after such injuries; if the victim does survive the prognosis is comparable to that following closed cranial injuries.
Subject(s)
Head Injuries, Penetrating/diagnosis , Head Injuries, Penetrating/therapy , Wounds, Gunshot/diagnosis , Wounds, Gunshot/therapy , Head Injuries, Penetrating/classification , Humans , Practice Guidelines as Topic , Practice Patterns, Physicians' , Wounds, Gunshot/classificationABSTRACT
A rare case of a cerebral metastasis 13 months after open heart surgery because of an undifferentiated sarcoma of the left atrium is presented.
