title: Recovery of a Missile Embolus From the Right Ventricle.
abstract: Missile embolism is a clinical entity in which a projectile object enters a blood vessel and is carried to a distant part of the body. We present a case of the discovery of an iliac vein to right ventricle missile embolus in a young man, with successful extraction through a right atriotomy. We provide a historical overview of the literature concerning missile embolism, and we argue that whereas acute embolized projectiles should be removed in almost all cases, it may be reasonable to simply observe an asymptomatic chronic missile embolus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California.
authors.forename: Clement D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Marshall
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California.
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California.
authors.forename: Clifford C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Sheckter
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California.
authors.forename: Rustin A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Massoudi
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, San Jose, California.
authors.forename: Cathleen M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Ligman
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, San Jose, California. Electronic address: ronald.jou@hhs.sccgov.org.
authors.forename: Ronald M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Jou
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California.
authors.forename: William D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Ogden
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D004617:Embolism / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005548:Foreign-Body Migration / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D006352:Heart Ventricles; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009104:Multiple Trauma; D020127:Recovery of Function; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014948:Wounds, Gunshot / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis