Entrapment of an air gun pellet between the thyroid cartilage and the lining mucosa in a patient with a penetrating neck injury: a case report

Brain death of an infant caused by a penetrating air gun injury

Air guns are shooting projectiles (pellets) from the expansion of compressed air without involving any chemical reactions. Air guns are often regarded as harmless by the public, but these weapons can produce severe, sometimes lethal injuries, especially in children. A case of a penetrating head injury of an eleven-month-old infant, caused by an ordinary air gun pellet, is presented. The air gun pellet created an exceptionally severe brain injury, and brain death. The factors influencing the severity of air gun injuries - muzzle velocity, muzzle energy, skull thickness - are discussed.

Penetrated sigmoid colon by air gun pellet could be life threatening: A case report

INTRODUCTION

Air and paintball guns have been in existence for over 400 year. Although serious injury or death can result from the use of such guns, previous literature has not mentioned the issue of the penetration of the sigmoid colon by an air gun pellet.

PRESENTATION OF CASE

We report a rare case of a 44-year-old Caucasian woman referred to abdominal surgery after an accidental small wound had occurred in the lower left abdominal quadrant that was caused by an air gun pellet. The blood and biochemical analyses were normal but the CT scan revealed the presence of a foreign body – an air gun pellet in the left iliac region of the abdomen. Clinically, during the initial 24 h significant changes were not noticed. After 42 h, however, pain and local tenderness in the lower left abdominal quadrant was expressed. A laparotomy revealed a retained pellet in the wall of the sigmoid colon and a small leak with colonic content with consecutive local peritonitis also occurred. The foreign body was removed and the opening edges in the colon were excised and closed with the primary suture.

DISCUSSION

The hollow organs of the digestive tract, albeit very rarely penetrated by an air gun pellet, do not typically show all signs of an acute abdomen in the early posttraumatic phase. Such injuries can lead to a pronounced infection, which may cause septic shock if not appropriately treated.

CONCLUSION

For correct diagnosis, a careful approach and several daily clinical observations are required.