Air embolism: an unusual cause of delayed death following gunshot wound to the chest

Abstract

A 29-year-old man was shot in the chest twice sustaining extensive contusion of the right lung. He was, however, clinically stable with no major vessel injury or significant blood loss. Unexpected cardiac arrest occurred hours after hospital admission due to left coronary artery air embolism. Lung parenchymal damage from the passage of two projectiles within the chest wall close to the pleural cavity had occurred, with disruption of the capillary-alveolar interface and passage of air into the pulmonary venous circulation. While tangential gunshot wounds to the chest wall may rarely cause air embolism, symptoms are usually immediate. The present case demonstrates, however, that death may occur unexpectedly some time after the initial trauma in an individual who is considered clinically stable.