Bullet embolism following gunshot wound of the chest. Case report and review of the literature.

A 24 year old male was shot in the low left posterior chest. Initial x-rays localized the bullet in the region of the left atrium or pulmonary veins. At 24 hours the bullet embolized to the right subclavian artery, totally occluding the vessel. The bullet was successfully removed, as was adjacent thrombus with complete restoration of distal pulses. Sixty-one cases with gunshot wound to the chest and 63 arterial emboli were reviewed. There was a mortality rate of 38%.