Proudfoot R W, Harris M, Victor D W, Bennett S
J Ky Med Assoc. 1989 Jan;87(1):17-8.
We report a case of an arterial bullet embolus and compare it with other cases found in the literature. A 27-year-old white male sustained a .22 caliber gunshot wound that penetrated the abdominal aorta and traveled within the arterial system to occlude the left superficial femoral artery. The case was typical in that projectiles that embolize within the vascular system originate as a low kinetic energy missile injury of the trunk. Atypically, the patient developed ischemic changes from the embolus immediately. After direct aorta repair and immediate transverse arteriotomy bullet removal, the patient recovered fully.
