No abstract available.
Firearms* ; Forensic Ballistics* ; Wounds and Injuries*

Core tissue for histologic study is believed by many pathologists to be more diagnostic than material from needle aspiration. Recently introduced automated biopsy gun simplifies core biopsies with increased quantity and quality of samples. Authors performed 38 percutaneous biopsies from 38 patients with 18G automated biopsy guns under US guide. Diagnostic target tissues were obtained in 33 biopsies(87%), inadequate tissues in 4 (11%), and adequate but not of target tissue in 1(3%). There was no major complication requiring treatment, but pain needing analgesics and pain with nausea/vomiting were experienced in 2 and 1 biopsies respectively. Average number of needle passes was 1.5(1-5) We concluded that US-guided gun biopsy was a easy and safe way to obtained tissue samples of good quantity and quality, especially useful in hospitals without constant availability of specialists in cytopathology.
Analgesics ; Biopsy* ; Firearms ; Humans ; Needles ; Specialization

Death due to firearm is more common in countries with higher gun ownership such as United States of America compared to countries with restrictive gun ownership such as European countries and Malaysia. However, the increasing number of shooting cases in Malaysia recently should not be overlooked. This study was carried out to investigate the incidence of firearm-related deaths and epidemiology in Klang Valley for 11-year period. The demographic data on the incidence of firearm-related deaths from 2006 to 2016 was collected retrospectively from four government hospitals in Klang Valley. 204 cases of firearm-related deaths were reported with irregular trend of the incidence throughout the 11-year period. The results revealed that most victims were male, aged between 30 to 34 years old and Malaysian citizen. Firearms fatalities were higher among Malaysian specifically Indian, as compared to non-Malaysian. Most firearms fatalities were homicides and took place during late night between 12.00 am to 5.59 am. The highest cause of death was head injury due to gunshot wound. It is hoped that this study will raise awareness to Malaysian citizen regarding firearm-related cases and to develop strategies to overcome the issue of gun violence in Malaysia with appropriate authorities.
firearm fatalities ; firearms epidemiology ; firearms demographic data ; gun violence Klang Valley ; gunshot wound

PURPOSE: HMA (Hot melt adhesive) is a thermoplastic adhesive that is commonly used at glue guns. Nowadays, HMA burns are increasing because of increased consumption of D.I.Y (Do-it-yourself) products and field based experiential learning. Because of patients' lack of knowledge and character of HMA burn, many patients visit the hospital in late period with severe, deep degree burns. At this moment, early surgical intervention may help to shorten the therapeutic period. We planned this study to evaluate the effect of early surgical intervention on shortening the therapeutic period, compared with conservative management. METHODS: This study conducted from April 1, 2013 to April 1, 2015. Thirty seven patients with deep burn wounds due to HMA, who underwent surgical or conservative management were enrolled. Operative group received more than one surgical management, and conservative group were treated by wound dressing. The effectiveness was evaluated by comparing the treatment period between two groups. RESULTS: The average time of treatment was 23.9 day in operative group and 39.1 day in conservative group, and the result was statistically significant (P=0.027). CONCLUSION: The result of this study suggests that surgical treatment and conservative treatment show significant difference in treatment of HMA burns. Therefore, surgical therapy may be considered as a proper choice for treating HMA burn injury patients.
Adhesives ; Bandages ; Burns* ; Firearms ; Humans ; Problem-Based Learning ; Wounds and Injuries

Taser guns are considered less lethal weapon than pistols. However, several cases and animal experiments reported injuries associated with Taser guns. This report describes the case of a patient who suffered a penetrating eye injury after being shot by a Taser gun. It is important for the emergency physician to understand potential injuries that can be caused by Taser guns.
Animal Experimentation ; Emergencies ; Eye Injuries, Penetrating ; Firearms ; Humans ; Weapons

Because of the strict gun control system in Korea, deaths from gunfire injury cannot be frequently seen in the legal autopsies. Injuries or deaths among the registered hunters using shotguns, though not common, have been reported via mass media. We experienced a 52-year-old male's shotgun death in which the manner of death was mostly assumed to be a suicide. The shotgun injury presented the billiard ball ricochet effect, in which a large wound was formed on the inner side of the left thoracic cavity by spraying out of pellets while a small entry wound by bunched pellets was on the left anterior chest wall.
Autopsy ; Firearms ; Humans ; Korea ; Mass Media ; Middle Aged ; Suicide ; Thoracic Cavity ; Thoracic Wall

PURPOSE: The author wanted to assess the diagnostic accuracy and safety of percutaneous biopsy for lung lesions 1 cm or smaller; the biopsies were performed on the basis of the modified coaxial technique under CT guidance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-five patients (22 men and 13 women) 23-76 years old (average age: 56.8 years) with lung lesions 1 cm or smaller underwent CT-guided percutaneous biopsy. Fifteen patients had underlying primary malignancies. After an 18 G guiding cannula was introduced to the border of the small lung lesion via the modified coaxial technique, fine-needle aspiration biopsy with 21 G needle and core tissue biopsies with 19.5 G or 20 G biopsy guns were performed through the lumen of the guiding cannula . The core tissue biopsies were finished after 6 macroscopic core tissue specimens were obtained. When the needle hit the eccentric portion of the small lung lesion, a 'fanning-out' technique with using the guiding cannula was applied to get multiple core tissue specimens from the small lung lesion. The diagnostic accuracy of this method was evaluated and the complications were reviewed. RESULTS: Both the cytopathologic and histopathologic specimens were obtained in all 35 cases. The fanning-out technique was necessary in 15 cases (43%) for obtaining six core tissue specimens from small lesions. The final diagnoses were 17 malignant lesions and 18 benign lesions. Sixteen lesions were true-positive, eighteen were true-negative, none was false-positive and one was false-negative. The overall diagnostic accuracy was 97%. The sensitivity for detecting malignancy and the specificity for benign lesion were 94% and 100%, respectively. The positive and negative predictive values were 100% and 95%, respectively. The diagnostic ability to characterize the specific cell type of the malignant lesion was 94% (16 of 17), that for the benign lesions was 83% (15 of 18), and overall diagnostic ability was 89% (31 of 35). Five patients (14%) developed a pneumopthorax, and one of them (3%) received a radiologic chest catheter to relieve moderate dyspnea. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous biopsy performed on the basis of the modified coaxial technique under CT guidance for lung lesions 1 cm or smaller is considered to be an accurate and safe procedure.
Biopsy* ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Catheters ; Diagnosis ; Dyspnea ; Firearms ; Humans ; Lung* ; Male ; Needles ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Thorax

The incidence of death due to firearms and explosives is extremely low in Korea. Forensic pathologists are rarely experienced this kind of injuries by autopsy in Korea. It is important for them to realize characteristics of gunshot wounds and explosive injuries. Firearm and explosive injuries exhibit different characteristics under different settings, and one can utilize these characteristics in reconstructing the scene in actual cases. The author summarized basic mechanisms and general features of gunshot wounds and explosive injuries. Deaths due to hand grenade were especially presented with statistical data in Korean Army.
Abdominal Injuries* ; Autopsy ; Explosive Agents* ; Firearms* ; Hand ; Incidence ; Korea ; Wounds, Gunshot

PURPOSE: To evaluate the usefulness of automated biopsy guns in image-guided biopsy of lung, liver. pancreas and other organs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using automated biopsy devices, 160 biopsies of variable anatomic sites were performed:Biopsies were performed under ultrasonographic(US) guidance in 95 and computed tomographic (CT) guidance in 65. We retrospectively analyzed histologic results and complications. RESULTS: Specimens were adequate for histopathologic diagnosis in 143 of the 160 patients(89.4%)-Diagnostic tissue was obtained in 130 (81.3%), suggestive tissue obtained in 13(8.1%), and non-diagnostic tissue was obtained in 14(8.7%). Inadequate tissue was obtained in only 3(1.9%). There was no statistically significant difference between US-guided and CT-guided percutaneous biopsy. There was no occurrence of significant complication. We have experienced mild complications in only 5 patients-2 hematuria & 2 hematochezia in transrectal prostatic biopsy, and 1 minimal pneumothorax in CT-guided percutaneous lung biopsy. All of them were resolved spontaneously. CONCLUSION: The image-guided biopsy using the automated biopsy gun was a simple, safe and accurate method of obtaining adequate specimen for the histopathologic diagnosis.
Biopsy* ; Diagnosis ; Firearms* ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; Hematuria ; Image-Guided Biopsy* ; Liver ; Lung ; Pancreas ; Pneumothorax ; Retrospective Studies

Shotguns were developed as an alternative to single-missile rifle or handgun in order to enable gunner to spray a wide area with shot and thus kill birds and small animals too difficult to hit with single-missile weapons. As the popularity of shotguns grew, ammunition was developed for large game. The use of shotguns on humans has been markedly increasing in various manner of death. In forensic aspect, the shotgun wounds have characteristic findings due to their own characteristics and medical examiners may determine the range, distance, direction and kinds of gun. When the muzzle of the shotgun is placed tightly against the surface of the abdomen or thorax, the consequent wound of entrance will be single in number and circular in shape, and will have a diameter approximately equal to that of the bore of the weapon. However, when the wound is made over a site with underlying bone, especially in the scalp, the wound may have a different appearance, showing star shaped entrance due to tears from the sides of the wound and accompanying soot and burn effect. When the muzzle is held short to mid-range, considerable variation occurs in the appearance of the wound. We report two cases of shotgun wounds which showed typical findings of contact shots and distant shots.
Abdomen ; Animals ; Birds ; Burns ; Coroners and Medical Examiners ; Firearms ; Humans ; Scalp ; Soot ; Thorax ; Weapons ; Wounds and Injuries*