Popliteal artery embolism of bullet after abdominal gunshot wound

Abstract

Bullet embolism to the peripheral arterial system is a rare phenomenon which frequently results in misdiagnosis due to lack of early symptoms. Embolisms can go to either arterial or venous systems with common sites of injury including the left ventricle, pulmonary vein, thoracic and abdominal aorta and peripheral arteries. Herein we present a case of a 19 year old patient with multiple gunshot wounds to the torso with a bullet embolism to the left popliteal artery necessitating embolectomy. This subsequently led to diagnosis and repair of an abdominal aortic psuedoaneurysm not clearly evident on initial imaging.