Is it time for firearm injury to be a separate activation criteria in children? An assessment of penetrating pediatric trauma using need for surgeon presence

Background: Penetrating injury independently predicts the need for surgeon presence (NSP) upon arrival. Penetrating injury is often used as a trauma triage indicator, however, it includes a wide range of specific mechanisms of injury. We sought to compare firearm-related and non-firearm related pediatric penetrating injuries with respect to NSP, ISS and mortality. Methods: Patients <18 from the 2016 National Trauma Quality Improvement Program Database were included. Penetrating injury was identified and grouped using ICD-10 mechanism codes into firearm and non-firearm related injury. NSP, ISS, and mortality were compared between the two groups. Results: A total of 1715 (4.2%) patients with penetrating injury were; 832 firearm-related and 883 non-firearm. No deaths occurred among the non-firearm group compared to 94 (11.3%) among firearm-related patients. Among non-firearm patients, 22.7% had a NSP indicator compared to 51.2% of patients injured by a firearm. Conclusion: There is a significantly higher proportion of severe injury and mortality with firearm penetrating injury when compared to non-firearm pediatric penetrating injury. Consideration should be given to dividing it into firearm and non-firearm penetrating injury.