Penetrating aortic injury left untreated for 20 days: a case report
Abstract Background Penetrating aortic trauma remains one of the most challenging injuries with a high mortality rate if left untreated, or if the surgical treatment is delayed. We present an uncommon case of a late diagnosed abdominal firearm injury, in which the bullet partially penetrated the wal...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2018-01-01
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| Series: | BMC Surgery |
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| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12893-018-0337-z |
| _version_ | 1828230820800757760 |
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| author | Alessia Giaquinta Dovile Mociskyte Giuseppe D’Arrigo Giuseppe Barbagallo Francesco Certo Massimiliano Veroux Pierfrancesco Veroux |
| author_facet | Alessia Giaquinta Dovile Mociskyte Giuseppe D’Arrigo Giuseppe Barbagallo Francesco Certo Massimiliano Veroux Pierfrancesco Veroux |
| author_sort | Alessia Giaquinta |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Penetrating aortic trauma remains one of the most challenging injuries with a high mortality rate if left untreated, or if the surgical treatment is delayed. We present an uncommon case of a late diagnosed abdominal firearm injury, in which the bullet partially penetrated the wall of the aorta, creating a plug that prevented immediate death due to massive bleeding. Case presentation A 26-year-old Libyan man was a victim of a firearm wound, with a bullet penetrating his abdominal wall from the left to right side. After the assault, the victim, spent up to 20 days crossing the Mediterranean Sea to leave his country of origin. Abdominal radiography revealed the presence of a bullet located anteriorly to the second lumbar vertebra, while computed tomography angiography, unexpectedly, demonstrated that the bullet penetrated partially into the aortic wall at the level of the left renal artery. The bullet penetrated the aortic wall for half of its length, creating a plug that avoided immediate life-threatening bleeding at the time of the gunshot injury. The bullet was removed and the aortic lesion was repaired. The patient was discharged 6 days after the surgical procedure, in good health. Conclusions We presented a very rare case of late diagnosis of aortic injury caused by a gunshot lesion, in which the particular trajectory of the bullet helped avoid immediate life-threatening bleeding and, probably, saved the patient’s life. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T18:54:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-be78157d0b424395b74e6eb5aa740c27 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2482 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T18:54:17Z |
| publishDate | 2018-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Surgery |
| spelling | doaj.art-be78157d0b424395b74e6eb5aa740c272022-12-22T03:20:23ZengBMCBMC Surgery1471-24822018-01-011811410.1186/s12893-018-0337-zPenetrating aortic injury left untreated for 20 days: a case reportAlessia Giaquinta0Dovile Mociskyte1Giuseppe D’Arrigo2Giuseppe Barbagallo3Francesco Certo4Massimiliano Veroux5Pierfrancesco Veroux6Vascular Surgery and Organ Transplant Unit, Department of Surgery, University Hospital of CataniaVascular Surgery and Organ Transplant Unit, Department of Surgery, University Hospital of CataniaVascular Surgery and Organ Transplant Unit, Department of Surgery, University Hospital of CataniaNeurosurgery Unit, Department of Surgery, University Hospital of CataniaNeurosurgery Unit, Department of Surgery, University Hospital of CataniaVascular Surgery and Organ Transplant Unit, Department of Surgery, University Hospital of CataniaVascular Surgery and Organ Transplant Unit, Department of Surgery, University Hospital of CataniaAbstract Background Penetrating aortic trauma remains one of the most challenging injuries with a high mortality rate if left untreated, or if the surgical treatment is delayed. We present an uncommon case of a late diagnosed abdominal firearm injury, in which the bullet partially penetrated the wall of the aorta, creating a plug that prevented immediate death due to massive bleeding. Case presentation A 26-year-old Libyan man was a victim of a firearm wound, with a bullet penetrating his abdominal wall from the left to right side. After the assault, the victim, spent up to 20 days crossing the Mediterranean Sea to leave his country of origin. Abdominal radiography revealed the presence of a bullet located anteriorly to the second lumbar vertebra, while computed tomography angiography, unexpectedly, demonstrated that the bullet penetrated partially into the aortic wall at the level of the left renal artery. The bullet penetrated the aortic wall for half of its length, creating a plug that avoided immediate life-threatening bleeding at the time of the gunshot injury. The bullet was removed and the aortic lesion was repaired. The patient was discharged 6 days after the surgical procedure, in good health. Conclusions We presented a very rare case of late diagnosis of aortic injury caused by a gunshot lesion, in which the particular trajectory of the bullet helped avoid immediate life-threatening bleeding and, probably, saved the patient’s life.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12893-018-0337-zPenetrating traumaAortaBulletLate diagnosisGunshot injuryFirearm lesion |
| spellingShingle | Alessia Giaquinta Dovile Mociskyte Giuseppe D’Arrigo Giuseppe Barbagallo Francesco Certo Massimiliano Veroux Pierfrancesco Veroux Penetrating aortic injury left untreated for 20 days: a case report BMC Surgery Penetrating trauma Aorta Bullet Late diagnosis Gunshot injury Firearm lesion |
| title | Penetrating aortic injury left untreated for 20 days: a case report |
| title_full | Penetrating aortic injury left untreated for 20 days: a case report |
| title_fullStr | Penetrating aortic injury left untreated for 20 days: a case report |
| title_full_unstemmed | Penetrating aortic injury left untreated for 20 days: a case report |
| title_short | Penetrating aortic injury left untreated for 20 days: a case report |
| title_sort | penetrating aortic injury left untreated for 20 days a case report |
| topic | Penetrating trauma Aorta Bullet Late diagnosis Gunshot injury Firearm lesion |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12893-018-0337-z |
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