TY - JOUR
T1 - Penetrating thoracic wounds caused by plastic bullets
AU - Yellin, A.
AU - Golan, M.
AU - Klein, E.
AU - Avigad, I.
AU - Rosenman, J.
AU - Lieberman, Y.
PY - 1992
Y1 - 1992
N2 - Thoracic penetrating injuries caused by a new plastic bullet were studied to determine the nature of the wounds and the appropriate management. Twenty- six casualties from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (Intifada) were included. The organs most commonly involved were lung (n = 21), bony chest wall (n = 9), heart (n = 3), and diaphragm. Bleeding was at least moderate in 20 patients, amounting in all patients to an average of 975 ml. Thoracotomy was required in 11 patients (42 %) mainly because of cardiac injury (n = 3) and aortic or other arterial bleeding (n = 3). Simple oversewing of severed organs (n = 8) or ligation of bleeding vessels (n = 3) was satisfactory. Two patients died (7.7% mortality); one after major liver resection; the other was dead on arrival. We conclude that plastic bullets have a linear course unless displaced by the bony chest wall, when they tend to fragment and cause simple fractures. Fired from a presumed range of at least 70 m, plastic bullets behave like low-velocity missiles, and tissue destruction is minimal. Management should be similar to that of civilian thoracic penetrating trauma.
AB - Thoracic penetrating injuries caused by a new plastic bullet were studied to determine the nature of the wounds and the appropriate management. Twenty- six casualties from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (Intifada) were included. The organs most commonly involved were lung (n = 21), bony chest wall (n = 9), heart (n = 3), and diaphragm. Bleeding was at least moderate in 20 patients, amounting in all patients to an average of 975 ml. Thoracotomy was required in 11 patients (42 %) mainly because of cardiac injury (n = 3) and aortic or other arterial bleeding (n = 3). Simple oversewing of severed organs (n = 8) or ligation of bleeding vessels (n = 3) was satisfactory. Two patients died (7.7% mortality); one after major liver resection; the other was dead on arrival. We conclude that plastic bullets have a linear course unless displaced by the bony chest wall, when they tend to fragment and cause simple fractures. Fired from a presumed range of at least 70 m, plastic bullets behave like low-velocity missiles, and tissue destruction is minimal. Management should be similar to that of civilian thoracic penetrating trauma.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0026510681&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/s0022-5223(19)35042-1
DO - 10.1016/s0022-5223(19)35042-1
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AN - SCOPUS:0026510681
VL - 103
SP - 381
EP - 385
JO - Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery
JF - Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery
SN - 0022-5223
IS - 2
ER -