Original Article

Gastrointestinal Bullet Embolism with Spontaneous Expulsion of the Projectile

Bere Bernadette [1], Ouedraogo Salam [2], Kabore Moussa [2], Kambire Jean Luc [2], Ouedraogo Souleymane [2], Zongo Paowendtaore Valentin [3], Ouedraogo Isso [4], Bandre Emile [5]

[1] Pediatric Surgery Unit, [2] General Surgery Unit and [3] Anaesthesia Unit, Department of Surgery, Ouahigouya University Teaching Hospital, Ouahigouya, Burkina Faso. [4] Pediatric Surgery Unit, Department of Surgery, Charles De Gaulle Pediatric University Teaching Hospital, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. [5] Pediatric Surgery Unit, Department of Surgery, Souro Sanou University Teaching Hospital, Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.

Pediatric Surgery in Tropics. 2024;1(3)

Download PDF

Abstract

Abstract A 5-year-old girl was admitted with signs of peritonitis following gunshot injury of the abdomen. At laparotomy, a perforation of 1.5 cm diameter on the greater curvature of stomach was noted. Intraoperatively the projectile could not be located and hence gastrorrhaphy was performed. Postoperatively, a plain abdominal radiograph revealed the presence of a projectile in the abdomen. The patient resumed intestinal motility with diarrhea on the postoperative day-4. The bullet was spontaneously expelled during defecation on the postoperative day-7 and the diarrhea resolved on the postoperative day-11. Gastrointestinal bullet embolism with spontaneous expulsion of the bullet is a very rare phenomenon.