Abstract Details

Title Epidemiology of Spine-related Firearm Injuries

Topic Neuro Trauma and Critical Care

Presentation(s) P4 - Poster Session 4 (5:00 PM-6:00 PM)

Poster/Presentation
Number 4-001

Objective To characterize demographic and environmental factors related to spinal injury from firearms.

Background In 2022, 48,204 people died from firearm-related injuries in the United States, which makes an average of 1 death every 11 minutes. Gunshot wounds (GSW) are responsible for 16-25% of all spinal cord injuries. Physical disabilities are dependent on the level of injury, with the thoracic spine being the most involved level, followed by cervical, then lumbar. This study is a retrospective study to identify risk factors, both demographic and environmental, in an effort to reduce SCI related to GSW.

Design/Methods This is a retrospective study of patients admitted to a Level 1 Trauma Center in the Houston area with an injury to the spine and spinal cord injury (SCI) from a firearm.

Results 100 patients over 18 years old admitted with a firearm related spinal cord injury from January 2018 to December 2020 were identified. The average age was 31, and 88% were black males. Blacks were more likely to have a history of marijuana use (p=0.037). The most common cause of firearm-related spinal injuries was intentional discharge (91%). GSW spine injuries occurred mostly in the street (29.1%), followed by in the patients’ homes (19.8%), parking lot (15.1%), and car (14%). Drive-by shootings caused 11% of these injuries. Overall mortality was 32%. 49% were discharged home.

Conclusions Intentional discharge of a firearm, including assault and drive-by shootings, was the most common cause of firearm-related spine injury. While approximately 50% of GSW victims were survivors, mortality rate was 32%, with young black males with substance abuse being most at risk. Additional studies assessing spinal cord injuries related to firearms need to be executed to formulate prevention plans.

Authors/Disclosures
Lynn Yamane PRESENTER	Miss Yamane has nothing to disclose.
Sarah Hinds	Miss Hinds has nothing to disclose.
Seong Kyu Yang, MD (Seoul National University Bundang Hospital)	Dr. Yang has nothing to disclose.
Elena Moreno	Ms. Moreno has nothing to disclose.
atzhiry paz, research assistant	Miss paz has nothing to disclose.
kaitlin simmons, research asisstant	Miss simmons has nothing to disclose.
Vi Tran, MD (USA University Hospital)	Dr. Tran has nothing to disclose.
Ryan Kitagawa, MD	Dr. Kitagawa has nothing to disclose.
bindi naik-mathuria	Dr. naik-mathuria has nothing to disclose.
Huimahn A. Choi, MD (The University of Texas Health Science Center At Houston)	The institution of Dr. Choi has received personal compensation in the range of $5,000-$9,999 for serving on a Scientific Advisory or Data Safety Monitoring board for Acasti Pharma.

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