Abdominal Injury Caused by an Air Gun Shot

Article information

Trauma Image Proced. 2018;3(1):8-10

Publication date (electronic) : 2018 May 31

doi : https://doi.org/10.24184/tip.2018.3.1.8

Department of Surgery, Yonsei university Wonju college of medicine, Wonju Severance Christian Hospital, Trauma center

Correspondence to: Pil Young Jung, Department of Surgery, Yonsei university Wonju college of medicine, Wonju Severance Christian Hospital, 220-701, 20 Ilsan-ro, Wonju-si, Gangwon-do, South Korea Tel: 82-33-741-0882, Fax: 82-33-741-0574, E-mail: surgery4trauma@yonsei.ac.kr

Received 2018 April 25; Revised 2018 May 16; Accepted 2018 May 17.

Abstract

Gunshot injury is uncommon in South Korea. Here, we present a case of penetrating abdominal injury caused by an air gun shot.

Keywords: Abdomen; Wounds, Gunshot

CASE

A 54-year-old male with no medical history was admitted to the emergency room with penetrating abdominal injury caused by an accidental air gun shot. Upon admission, he was hemodynamically stable and showed one entrance wound site on his abdomen (Fig. 1.). His plain X-ray and CT (Fig. 2.) revealed a bullet located in the abdomen wall. Accordingly, we planned an emergency surgery and detected omental injury, perforation of the anterior and posterior walls of the stomach, and multiple perforations of the ileum (at 5 sites) (Fig. 3.). We then performed primary repair of the stomach and ileum and removed the bullet. The patient recovered without any complications.

Fig. 1.

One entry and exit site, with remaining bullets on the abdomen

Fig. 2.

CT scan revealing the bullet lodged in the abdominal wall

Fig. 3.

(A,B,C) The surgical finding of the stomach and ileum and (D) removed bullet

DISCUSSION

The gunshot injury wound depends on the characteristics of bullet yawing, position, and section of the wound ballistics or profile [1]. Gunshot injury from a bullet traveling at a speed of <1100 ft/s is considered a low-velocity injury, such as with an air gun. Conventionally, the standard choice of treatment for gunshot wounds in the abdomen has been laparotomy [2]. Lee et al. reported several combat-related gunshot injury cases in South Korea; however, gunshot injury cases are relatively rare in South Korea [3]. Despite of this, we need to be prepared for proper management of such cases in the future.

Notes

Conflict of Interest Statement

No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

References

1. Peonim V, Srisont S, Udnoon J, et al. Entrance and exit wounds of high velocity bullet: An autopsy analysis in the event of dispersing the mass rally in Bangkok Thailand, May 2010. Leg Med (Tokyo) 2016 Nov; 23: 10-16.

2. Singh J, Hardcastle TC. Selective non operative management of gunshot wounds to the abdomen: a collective review. Int Emerg Nurs 2015;Jan. 23(1):22–31.

3. Lee JE, Lee YH, Baek GH, et al. Treatment of Combat-realated Gunshot and Explosive Injuries to the Extremities. J Korean Soc Traumatol 2013;26(3):111–124.

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