Unexplained pellets in heart after shotgun wound through the hip: A case report

The replacement of foreign materials in the human body is rare and the exact mechanism of migration has never been entirely explained. This case was found worth reporting because of the pellets found in the heart of a patient injured by a shotgun through the hip region. The patient was brought to th...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Bülent Özkurt, Batuhan Gencer, Bülent Koçer, Ali Utkan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Journal of Surgery and Medicine 2020-03-01
Series:Journal of Surgery and Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/josam/issue/52827/641944
Description
Summary:The replacement of foreign materials in the human body is rare and the exact mechanism of migration has never been entirely explained. This case was found worth reporting because of the pellets found in the heart of a patient injured by a shotgun through the hip region. The patient was brought to the emergency service because of a hunting rifle injury. Examination revealed numerous entry holes in the gluteal region but there was no sign of injury in the chest or back. On radiographs, there were numerous pellets in the hip and thigh regions. Routine chest X-ray showed four pellets within the mediastinum, probably within the heart, so patient was followed up to prevent probable complications. It should be considered that unexpected complications may be encountered in shotgun injuries due to migration of pellets regardless of the region of injury.
ISSN:2602-2079