# The Unfortunate Case of a Pulmonary Artery Bullet Embolism

## TL;DR

A patient with a bullet lodged in the pulmonary artery after a gunshot wound was managed without surgery due to lack of symptoms.

## Contribution

This case adds to the limited literature on venous bullet embolism and suggests conservative management for asymptomatic patients.

## Key findings

- A patient with a retained bullet in the pulmonary artery remained asymptomatic.
- Conservative management was successful without complications.
- Observation may be appropriate for asymptomatic bullet embolism cases.

## Abstract

Bullet embolism is a rare occurrence, and the relative paucity of literature makes the management of a bullet embolism challenging. There is a lack of information to help guide the treatment of this pathology. This case details a patient who suffered a gunshot wound to the thigh and was subsequently found to have a retained bullet in the left pulmonary arterial vasculature. The patient remained asymptomatic and was managed conservatively without complication. Treatment of venous bullet embolism is not well studied, given the limited examples in the current literature; however, this case suggests that observation alone is appropriate in an asymptomatic patient.