Unveiling an Asymptomatic Cardiac Air-Gunshot Injury

Adham Sameer A Bardeesi; Mohamed Koussa; Andre Vincentelli; Augustin Coisne; David Montaigne; François Pontana; Francis Juthier

doi:10.1016/j.jaccas.2024.102319

Unveiling an Asymptomatic Cardiac Air-Gunshot Injury

JACC Case Rep. 2024 Apr 9;29(10):102319. doi: 10.1016/j.jaccas.2024.102319. eCollection 2024 May 15.

Authors

Adham Sameer A Bardeesi^{1

2}, Mohamed Koussa¹, Andre Vincentelli¹, Augustin Coisne³, David Montaigne³, François Pontana⁴, Francis Juthier¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Lille University Hospital, Lille, France.
² Department of Cardiac Surgery, King Fahad Specialist Hospital Damman, Saud Al-Babtain Cardiac Center, Saudi Arabia.
³ Universite de Lille, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Inserm U1011 Department of Cardiovascular Functional Explorations, Lille, France.
⁴ Department of Cardiovascular Radiology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Lille, Lille, France.

Abstract

Interventricular septum pellet retention after air-gunshot injury in a persistently asymptomatic patient is a rare, clinically significant occurrence. Management involved monitoring, echocardiography, and computed tomography scans. After risk-benefit analysis, we favored a nonsurgical management without prophylactic antibiotics or colchicine. No post-traumatic pericarditis was observed. Patient remained asymptomatic and in excellent condition at 1-month follow-up.

Keywords: air gun; asymptomatic, cardiac; conservative management; gunshot; interventricular septum; multidisciplinary approach; nonsurgical management; penetrating cardiac injury.

Publication types

Case Reports