Myths and Misinformation About Gunshot Wounds may Adversely Affect Proper Treatment.

Background: Poorly designed experiments and popular media have led to multiple myths about wound ballistics. Some of these myths have been incorporated into the trauma literature as fact and are included in Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS). We hypothesized that these erroneous beliefs would be prevalent, even among those providing care for patients with gunshot wounds (GSWs), but could be addressed through education.

Isolated free fluid on abdominal computed tomography in blunt trauma: watch and wait or operate?

Background: Isolated free fluid (FF) on abdominal CT in stable blunt trauma patients can indicate the presence of hollow viscus injury. No criteria exist to differentiate treatment by operative exploration vs observation. The goals of this study were to determine the incidence of isolated FF and to identify factors that discriminate between patients who should undergo operative exploration vs observation.