title: Paradoxical embolism of a shotgun pellet.
abstract: Paradoxical embolism of a projectile from the venous to arterial system is a rare occurrence, which can cause diagnostic confusion. We present a case of venous embolism of a shotgun pellet from the left upper extremity to the noncoronary sinus of the aortic valve across a secundum-type atrial septal defect. Prevention of distal embolism of the pellet was presumably a result of its containment by flow vortices created within the sinuses of Valsalva.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Stanford Health Services, California 94305-5247, USA.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Ikonomidis
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Nisco
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Robbins
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001021:Aortic Valve; D001132:Arm / Q000098:blood supply; D019320:Embolism, Paradoxical / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005548:Foreign-Body Migration; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D014948:Wounds, Gunshot / Q000150:complications*