Bullet embolus to the heart: A case report and systematic review of the literature.

ABSTRACT: Gun violence is a significant contributor to morbidity and mortality worldwide. Intravascular and intracardiac bullet emboli are a rare but recognized phenomenon; however, the optimal management of intracardiac bullet emboli remains unclear. In this article, we report a unique case of a bullet embolus to the mitral annulus and a systematic review of the literature on intracardiac bullet emboli. Our case involves a patient who sustained multiple gunshot wounds, including an intracardiac bullet embolus to his left ventricle that was identified and managed non-operatively. Blood lead levels increased slightly with the bullet left in situ but did not reach toxic levels. In our systematic review, we identified 56 articles encompassing 61 cases of intracardiac bullet emboli. The majority

SUBMITTER: Stubbs JL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12661113 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature