Intraspinal Bullet Migration: A Rare Case Report

• Main Authors: Saniye Göknil Çalık, Mustafa Çalık, Mustafa Dağlı, Hıdır Esme
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Galenos Yayinevi 2019-07-01
• Series: İstanbul Medical Journal
• Subjects: Intraspinal; bullet; migration
• Online Access: http://imj.galenos.com.tr/archives/archive-detail/article-preview/ntraspinal-bullet-migration-a-rare-case-report/29861

Bullet migration is rarely reported in the literature. Herein we represent a case of penetrating gunshot injury with bullet migration from thoracic T7 spine to T10. A 34-year-old man was admitted to the emergency department with a gunshot wound on his left shoulder without an exit wound. He was paraplegic. Left hemopneumothorax and humeral fractures were detected on radiological examination. So far, the number of cases with migration is 30, including ours. Treatment is complex and still controversial. All spinal gunshot injuries should be treated as elective cases unless there are life-threatening or other major organ injuries requiring immediate surgery.