title: Ballistic Reconstruction of a Migrating Bullet in the Parapharyngeal Space.
abstract: A 21-year-old male suffering from severe throat pain after being hit by a bullet in Syria claimed that he was shot through his eye and that the bullet subsequently descended behind his throat. Even though the first medical report stated that this course is implausible, meticulous workup provided evidence that the bullet might have entered the parapharyngeal space in a more cranial position than the one it was found eight months later. Our case highlights that bullets are able to move within the body, rendering ballistic reconstruction difficult. However, after removal of the bullet the patient's symptoms completely resolved.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bächinger
authors.affiliation: Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bolliger
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Gerhard F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Huber
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Roman D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Laske