A Case of an Abdominal Gunshot Wound

• Published in: Nihon Fukubu Kyukyu Igakkai Zasshi (Journal of Abdominal Emergency Medicine) Vol. 23; no. 4; pp. 653 - 657
• Main Authors: Nagabuchi, Eisuke, Nakagawa, Shunichi, Takagi, Tomoyuki, Kuji, Mariko, Suzuki, Tomomi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: Japanese Society for Abdominal Emergency Medicine 2003; 日本腹部救急医学会
• Subjects: 腹部銃創
• ISSN: 1340-2242; 1882-4781
• DOI: 10.11231/jaem1993.23.653

A 22-year old woman suffering from gunshot injuries was taken to our hospital. Her vital signs werestable, and two gunshot wounds, one on the right groin and one on the left buttock, were found. Macrohematuriaand vaginal hemorrhage were also present. A CT examination showed intraabdominal fluidcollection, so an emergent laparotomy was performed. On exploration, six perforations of the ileum werefound within an area of 20cm, located 50cm on the oral side of the ileum. The anterior wall of the uteruswas lacerated longitudinally, and the vagina was penetrated in the sagital direction. The posterior wall ofthe bladder was perforated at a position corresponding with the uterus laceration. The bullet appeared tohave entered from the right groin, penetrated the ileum three times, progressed between the uterus and thebladder, gone through the vagina, and exited from the left buttock. A 25-cm length of the ileum wasresected, and the uterus, bladder, and vagina were reconstructed. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient was discharged from hospital on the 21st postoperative day.