Aortic bullet embolization revealed by peripheral ischemia after a thoracic gunshot wound

Abstract

We present the case of a 21-year-old male who came to the emergency ward for a thorax bullet wound. At our first check-up, the computed tomography (CT)-scan showed a pulmonary contusion, a hemothorax and a suspicious image of a thoracic aortic wound. The patient was stable, but soon after admission a distal ischemic syndrome appeared which revealed the emboli of the projectile. We removed it and a stent graft was implanted into the thoracic aorta. We report our experience of the treatment and the mechanisms that explain how such a wound did not kill the patient. © 2011 Published by European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.