Smith Brandon M, Loomis Elisabeth, Erz Logan, Shaub Ted F, Espinal Eric, Shenoy Rathna
Department of Trauma, Akron City Hospital, Akron, OH, USA.
Department of Cardiology, Akron City Hospital, Akron, OH, USA.
J Surg Case Rep. 2021 May 17;2021(5):rjab179. doi: 10.1093/jscr/rjab179. eCollection 2021 May.
Cardiac gunshot injuries herald a universally grim prognosis. We present an exceedingly unique case of a patient surviving multiple gunshot wounds with two bullet fragments lodged in the interventricular septum. A 25-year-old male sustained four gunshot wound injuries to the upper body. Two cardiac interventricular septal bullet fragments were identified during his recovery. Management included serial echocardiographic surveillance and a two-month regimen of empiric colchicine for prophylaxis against post-traumatic pericarditis. Pursuing non-operative management especially in asymptomatic or stable patients should be evaluated against surgical extraction and possible sequelae of complications. The consideration of scheduled colchicine for pericarditis prophylaxis is warranted as well as interval echocardiogram. Retained myocardial bullets are exceedingly rare clinical events with scant literature available to guide clinical decisions. Management requires intricate decision-making and close consideration of risk benefit analysis weighing surgical extraction against non-operative management.
心脏枪伤预示着普遍严峻的预后。我们呈现了一个极为独特的病例,一名患者在多处枪伤后存活,有两枚子弹碎片嵌顿在室间隔。一名25岁男性上半身遭受四处枪伤。在其恢复过程中发现了两枚心脏室间隔子弹碎片。治疗措施包括系列超声心动图监测以及为期两个月的经验性秋水仙碱治疗方案,以预防创伤后心包炎。对于无症状或病情稳定的患者,应权衡手术取出及可能的并发症后遗症,评估采取非手术治疗的可行性。考虑定期使用秋水仙碱预防心包炎以及进行间隔期超声心动图检查是有必要的。留存心肌内的子弹是极为罕见的临床事件,可供指导临床决策的文献极少。治疗需要复杂的决策,并密切考虑风险效益分析,权衡手术取出与非手术治疗。