Blood lead concentration in children after gunshot injuries.

Blood lead and erythrocyte zinc protoporphyrin values were examined in 23 children who had suffered gunshot (including multiple shotgun) injuries. No child had any evidence of lead poisoning between 15 and 27 months after the injury despite, in some cases, the retention of multiple pellets. Reference to previous publications suggests that lead poisoning is an unlikely complication of gunshot injury, providing a bullet or pellet is not retained in contact with a synovial cavity.