ABSTRACT
The authors report the case of a patient victim of gunshots, with a very rare complication: venous bullet embolism from the left external iliac vein to the lingular segment of the left pulmonary artery. Diagnosis is made with whole-body radiography or computed tomography. Digital angiography is reserved for supplementary diagnosis or to be used as a therapeutic procedure.
Relatamos o caso de um paciente vítima de tiros por arma de fogo e com uma rara complicação: embolia venosa de um projétil desde a veia ilíaca externa esquerda até o ramo lingular da artéria pulmonar esquerda. Radiografias de corpo inteiro ou tomografia computadorizada do corpo inteiro devem ser utilizadas. Angiografia digital fica reservada para complementação diagnóstica ou como procedimento terapêutico.
ABSTRACT
One unusual case of bullet embolism is reported. The deceased is a 65-year-old man with a non-penetrating gunshot wound to the right lateral portion of chest. The autopsy was performed and showed fatal gunshot wounds were observed in liver, pericardium and heart, but no bullet was found in the chest. A postmortem radiologic examination showed a bullet in the left femoral area. A careful dissection of the left femoral area was performed and the bullet was found in the left femoral artery. A discussion of forensic significance of bullet embolism is presented.