Treatment of Gunshot and Explosive Device Wounds at the National Hospital of Niamey

Introduction: Firearm trauma is a real health problem public in several countries, especially developing one [1]. The objective of this work was to describe the epidemiological, clinical, therapeutic and evolutionary aspects of those injured by gunshots and explosive devices at the National Hospital of Niamey (HNN). Patients and Methods: This is a prospective and descriptive study that took place at the HNN from January 29 to June 28, 2024. The following variables were studied: age, gender, origin, circumstances of occurrence, the vulnerating agent, the topography of the lesions, the treatment and the evolution. Results: We recorded 96 patients. The male gender predominated with a sex ratio M/F of 4.33. The mean age of our patients was 27.18±16.03 years; the age group between 15 and 30 years was the most represented with a frequency of 37.5%. Terrorism was the most frequent circumstance of occurrence in 86.46%. The most affected breeders are 32.29%. The bullet represented the most frequent wounding agent found in 92.71% of cases. The lesions were more frequently located at the level of the pelvic limbs, i.e. 50%. Ballistic fractures of the limb were the most frequent preoperative diagnosis, i.e. 50.00%. Debridement was the most commonly performed surgical procedure, i.e. 78.95% of cases. The death rate was 2.08%. Conclusion: It appears necessary to carry out preventive actions, particularly among local civilian populations and combat units.