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Ann Thorac Surg 1976;21:333-336
© 1976 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

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Articles

Bullet Emboli to the Pulmonary Artery: A Report of 2 Patients and Review of the Literature

From the Department of Surgery, University of Alabama in Birmingham, School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL.

Accepted for publication June 25, 1975.

^* Address reprint requests to Dr. Stephenson, Department of Surgery, University Station, Birmingham, AL 35294

Bullet embolization to the pulmonary artery is a rare event. The purpose of this study is to report our experience with 2 patients and to review the 15 patients reported in the literature, with special emphasis on a rather peculiar complication that has occurred in 4 of the 9 patients who underwent bullet embolectomy: dislodgment of the missile during the surgical procedure and migration to the down-side lung, for which a second thoracotomy was required in 3 of those patients.

The usual untoward effects of foreign bodies in the vascular system were seen in this series: embolization with thrombosis, sepsis, erosion and hemorrhage, and vascular occlusion with infarction.

This review suggests that operative removal of a bullet in the pulmonary artery is necessary. The operation is safe and uncomplicated if precautions are taken to prevent the missile from migrating during manipulation of the lung.

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