Injury pattern of the Flash-Ball, a less-lethal weapon used for law enforcement: report of two cases and review of the literature.

Details

Serval ID
serval:BIB_F71DE8E8C450
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Publication sub-type
Case report (case report): feedback on an observation with a short commentary.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Injury pattern of the Flash-Ball, a less-lethal weapon used for law enforcement: report of two cases and review of the literature.
Journal
Journal of Emergency Medicine
Author(s)
Wahl P., Schreyer N., Yersin B.
ISSN
0736-4679
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2006
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
31
Number
3
Pages
325-330
Language
english
Notes
Publication types: Case Reports ; Journal Article
Abstract
Less-lethal weapons are used in law enforcement to neutralize combative individuals and to disperse riot crowds. Local police recently used such an impact weapon, the Flash-Ball, in two different situations. This gun fires large rubber bullets with kinetic energies around 200 J. Although it is designed to avoid skin penetration, impacts at such energies may still create major trauma with associated severe injuries to internal organs. This is a report of 2 patients shot with the Flash-Ball who required medical attention. One could be discharged quickly, but the other required hospitalization for heart and lung contusion. Both patients required advanced investigations including computed tomography (CT) scan. The medical literature on injuries induced by less-lethal impact weapons is reviewed. Impacts from the Flash-Ball can cause significant injury to internal organs, even without penetration. Investigations as for other high-energy blunt traumas are called for in these cases.
Keywords
Adult, Contusions, Firearms, Forensic Ballistics, Heart Injuries, Humans, Law Enforcement, Lung Injury, Male, Switzerland, Wounds, Gunshot, Wounds, Nonpenetrating
Pubmed
Web of science
Create date
24/01/2008 17:27
Last modification date
20/08/2019 17:23
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