Shrapnel management.

With the increased incidence of terrorism worldwide, it is important for surgeons to understand the role of shrapnel injury in mass casualty events. Several diagnostic modalities are available, including plain radiography, computed tomography, ultrasound, angiography, and computerized surgical navigation based on real-time acquisition of fluoroscopic data. Shrapnel management techniques are selected based on the following chronologic phases: acute, subacute, and late.