"Is this a dagger I see before me?"--an audit of stabbings and gunshot wounds in Limerick.

BACKGROUND

According to a recent study in Cardiff, the incidence of stab wounds is 14 per 100,000 population per annum. No such figures are available for Ireland.

AIM: To evaluate the incidence, type of injury, medical consequences and outcome of patients with stab or gunshot wounds presenting to the Mid-Western Regional Hospital, Limerick, over a 12 month period.

METHOD: A retrospective case study of all stab and gunshot wounds presenting over a 12 month period.

RESULTS

Out of 62,000 new presentations to the Accident and Emergency (A&E) department, 101 (0.16%) were stabbings, giving an incidence of 33 per 100,000 population. Twenty-six patients required surgical intervention. There were three deaths. There were 10 gunshot wounds, of which 40% required surgical intervention, with no mortalities.

CONCLUSION

The incidence of stab wounds presenting to our institution is high. Although constituting a small percentage of presentations to the A&E department they result in considerable morbidity and surgical activity.