Concomitant injuries of the hip joint and abdomen resulting from gunshot wounds.

Septic arthritis is a devastating complication of transabdominal gunshot wounds to the hip. Five patients sustained gunshot wounds to the hip which violated the alimentary tract. Diagnosis was established with plain radiographs in three patients, arthrogram in one patient, and a gastrointestinal series in one patient. Three patients had an exploratory laparotomy with diverting colostomy followed by immediate hip arthrotomy within 24 hours and no joint infections occurred. In the other two patients, hip involvement was identified late after septic arthritis occurred. Early diagnosis, diverting colostomy, and immediate arthrotomy are recommended for gunshot wounds to the hip which involve the alimentary tract.