Developing a simplified clinical prediction score for mortality in patients with cerebral gunshot wounds: The Maritzburg Score.
Kong VY., Odendaal J., Sartorius B., Clarke DL., Bruce JL., Laing GL., Esterhuizen T.
Introduction Cerebral gunshot wounds are highly lethal and literature on the clinical scores for mortality prediction is limited. Materials and methods A retrospective study was undertaken over a 5-year period at the Pietermaritzburg Metropolitan Trauma Service in South Africa. A simplified clinical prediction score was developed based on clinical and/or physiological variables readily available in the resuscitation room. Results A total of 102 patients were included; 92% (94/102) were male and the mean age was 29 years; 22% (22/102) died during the admission. The presence of visible brain matter (odds ratio 12.4, P = 0.003) and motor score less than 5 (odds ratio 89.6, P