Nonsurgical management of cardiac missiles.
Modern air-powered pellet guns are capable of propelling their projectiles at velocities of 250 to 930 ft/s depending on their propulsion system-rivaling traditional small caliber firearms in the potential for serious soft tissue injuries. Management decisions regarding thoracic/cardiac pellet gun injuries must be based on the presentation and stability of the patient and the location of the retained pellet. We present a report of the nonsurgical management of an 8-year-old girl with a retained pericardial pellet and small stable effusion.
Klein
Jillian A
JA
Division of Critical Care Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
Nowak
Jeffrey E
JE
Sutherell
Jamie S
JS
Wheeler
Derek S
DS
D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006335:Heart Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods*; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices; D014948:Wounds, Gunshot / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*
D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000082:Acetaminophen