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Penetrating thoracic injury from a bean bag round complicated by development of post-operative empyema
- Source :
- Journal of surgical case reports, vol 2020, iss 4, Journal of Surgical Case Reports
- Publication Year :
- 2020
- Publisher :
- Oxford University Press (OUP), 2020.
-
Abstract
- Bean bag guns were developed as a nonlethal means for law enforcement personnel to subdue individuals. The large surface area and lower velocities of the bean bag round theoretically result in transfer of most of the energy to the skin/subcutaneous tissue and minimize the likelihood of dermal penetration, thereby ‘stunning’ intended victims without causing injury to deeper structures. However, this technology has been associated with significant intra-abdominal and intrathoracic injuries, skin penetration and death. We present a 59-year-old man who sustained a penetrating thoracic injury from a bean bag gun. Although the bean bag was successfully removed, the patient developed a postoperative empyema requiring operative management. We discuss the unique aspects of thoracic trauma from bean bag ballistics as well as considerations in management of patients with this uncommon mechanism of injury.
- Subjects :
- medicine.medical_specialty
Case Report
03 medical and health sciences
0302 clinical medicine
Thoracic injury
Dermal penetration
medicine
030212 general & internal medicine
Post operative
Thoracic trauma
business.industry
food and beverages
030208 emergency & critical care medicine
medicine.disease
Empyema
Surgery
penetrating thoracic trauma
medicine.anatomical_structure
empyema
Skin penetration
Mechanism of injury
bean bag trauma
Injury (total) Accidents/Adverse Effects
Abdomen
business
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 20428812
- Volume :
- 2020
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Journal of Surgical Case Reports
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....e1ad100ee5ba6c743af7fb2c6a6a757f