Combined shrapnel injury of the inferior vena cava which caused bulletpulmonary artery embolism (case report and review of the literature)

Abstract

Bullet embolism is a rare and unpredictable complication of gunshot and mine‑explosive injuries. With only few cases described in the literature, bullet embolism may become a diagnostic challenge for emergency and military surgeons. Thus, bullet embolization is a rare phenomenon, the complications can be devastating.A clinical case of bullet embolism is described. 34‑years old man got combined abdominal‑skeletal mine‑explosive injuries with damage to hollow organs (duodenum and transverse colon), inferior vena cava and both low extremities. Internal bleeding was stopped by the inferior vena cava edge wound suturing. Wounds of duodenum and large intestine were sutured; gunshot fractures of both tibial bones were stabilized with external fixation devices. Computer tomography of the entire body showed the presence of embolus in the right middle lobe artery. Clinical manifestations of pulmonary embolism were not observed. The patients had several complications after surgery such as: multiple focal necrosis and perforations of transverse colon caused a fecal peritonitis; duodenum suture failure caused forming of a duodenal fistula; postoperative wound infection. These complications necessitated performing of multiple reoperations. Attempts of endovascular bullet extraction didn’t undertake because of severe concomitant injuries, its complications and asymptomatic clinical course of pulmonary artery projectile embolism. Open surgery removing of embolus was successfully performed in 80 days after injury. The patient was discharged from hospital in good condition in 168 days after gunshot wound. Patients with an explosive‑mine wound and gunshot wound with no exit should to be examined with whole‑body computer tomography for determining possible projectile migration with bloodstream. Patients with asymptomatic pulmonary artery embolism should to be managed non‑operatively in the early posttraumatic period. In case of symptomatic pulmonary artery bullet embolism is reasonable to consider of a possibility of an open thoracic surgery.