Injury Patterns and Outcomes of Abdominopelvic Gunshot Wounds: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study at Mogadishu Somali Turkey Training and Research Hospital

Introduction : Abdominopelvic gunshot wounds continue to be a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in resource-limited, conflict-ridden regions such as Somalia, often involving vital organs that necessitate prompt management to enhance survival. Methods : We performed a retrospective cross-sectional study of all patients who presented with abdominopelvic gunshot wounds at the Emergency Department of Mogadishu Somalia Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan Training and Research Hospital between February and June 2025. Demographics, clinical presentation, injury patterns, management, complications, and outcomes were analyzed using descriptive and comparative statistics. Results : A total of 154 patients were included: 91.6% were males, 70.1% were 21–40 years of age, 57.1% were triaged as Orange, 37.0% as Red, 76.0% were positive for E-FAST, 63.6% had an abdomen affected, 29.2% had a pelvis affected, 7.1% had a spine affected, 3.2% had a colon affected, 4.5% had a retroperitoneum affected, 56.5% underwent surgical intervention, 67.5% required blood transfusion, 3.2% had ARDS, 2.6% had shock, and 2.6% had SSI. Overall, 96.1% of patients were discharged alive, with a mortality rate of 3.2%. Conclusion : Abdominal gunshot wounds mainly affect young men and often involve severe abdominal trauma requiring emergency surgery. Despite the high burden, mortality has been low, which reflects the importance of rapid diagnosis, timely surgery and organised trauma care. Strengthening emergency and surgical capabilities in resource constrained environments may further improve results.