[Abdominal gunshot wound: description of 86 cases in Cameroon].

Abdominal gunshot wound (AGSW) is a trauma emergency. The purpose of this report is to describe our experience with managing AGSW largely without modem investigational modalities. Data was collected retrospectively by reviewing the surgical reports and clinical charts of patients admitted to live hospitals dealing with AGSW over a 5-year period. Incomplete files and wounds not involving the abdomen were not included. A total of 86 files were analyzed. Patients ranged in age from 10 to 63 years ivith mean age of 32 years and a sex ratio of 5.5. Most patients (87%) underwent surgical exploration. Laboratory revealed no lesions in 22.5% of cases, minor lesions in 9.5% and major lesions justifying surgical repair in 68%. A total of 86 visceral lesions were found in the patients who underwent surgical exploration. The lesion involved the small intestine in 31.5% of case, colon in 24.5%, liver in 23.5%, spleen in 7%, stomach in 6%, and uterus in 2%. The kidney, pancreas, mesenteries, large momentum, and transverse mescaline each accounted for 1% of lesions. Conventional operative techniques were used with a mortality of 5.5% and morbidity of 4%. Based on our findings we conclude that when investigational tools (CT-scan, peritoneal lavage and laparoscopy) are unavailable prolonged watchful waiting increases the risk of mortality and morbidity in patients presenting AGSW associated with suspicious clinical signs. Prompt surgical treatment improves prognosis but is associated with a high rate of cases showing no lesions.