A fatal case of lead poisoning due to a retained bullet.
Lead poisoning from a retained bullet or missile is rare and is usually dependent on the location of the missile in a bone or immediately adjacent to a joint. A review of the literature revealed only 14 cases in which there was adequate laboratory documentation of plumbism caused by a retained bullet or missile. Only one of these previously reported cases resulted in death. We report a second death due to lead poisoning from a retained bullet with elevated blood lead levels documented by toxicologic analysis.
D005260:Female; D005554:Forensic Medicine; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality*; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D014948:Wounds, Gunshot / Q000150:complications*
D007854:Lead