EFFICACY OF CEFTRIAXONE VERSUS CEFAZOLIN IN THE PROPHYLACTIC MANAGEMENT OF EXTRAARTICULAR CORTICAL VIOLATION OF BONE DUE TO LOW-VELOCITY GUNSHOT WOUNDS
Kk. Hansraj et al., EFFICACY OF CEFTRIAXONE VERSUS CEFAZOLIN IN THE PROPHYLACTIC MANAGEMENT OF EXTRAARTICULAR CORTICAL VIOLATION OF BONE DUE TO LOW-VELOCITY GUNSHOT WOUNDS, The Orthopedic clinics of North America, 26(1), 1995, pp. 9-17
One hundred patients sustained gunshot wounds involving bone but not j
oint with a low-velocity bullet. Soft-tissue involvement was less than
1 cm at its greatest diameter. All patients were free from artery or
nerve damage. No formal fixation of fracture was required. The results
of the study suggest that patients need not be hospitalized longer th
an 2 days after an extra-articular, low-velocity gunshot wound that vi
olates the cortex. In addition, through the use of long half-life anti
biotics, such as ceftriaxone, the length of hospitalization may furthe
r be reduced to a day, while the potential for morbidity from infectio
n is not increased.