Pediatric Firearm Trauma on the Rise: A Retrospective Review of Over 1,100 Cases in 12 Years at One Center.

Background: Gunshot injuries are the leading cause of death among children in the United States. The goal of this study was to better understand if certain age groups, mechanisms of injury, and type of firearms were associated with the increasing rates of pediatric gun-related trauma. We hypothesized that the extremities were disproportionately targeted when compared with the random likelihood of striking specific body-surface areas.