Extremity gunshot wounds in children.

A retrospective review of 85 children with extremity gunshot wounds at an average age of 12.3 years showed that 83% were male; there were 10 gunshot and 75 non-shotgun injuries. Thirty-eight children sustained 51 fractures. Seventy-six operations were performed. The average hospital stay was 7.3 days. There were no mortalities, secondary amputations, or progressive neurovascular deficits. There were two wound infections but no cases of chronic osteomyelitis.