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

• 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: shotgun wound; pellet migration; foreign body embolism; chest x-ray; av tüfeği yaralanması; saçma migrasyonu; yabancı cisim embolisi; akciğer filmi
• Online Access: https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/josam/issue/52827/641944

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.