Bullet Embolism
Definition
Intravascular migration of a projectile after vascular entry, carried by blood flow to a location remote from the entry wound. Presents at autopsy as a bullet in an anatomical site disconnected from any wound track. Identified by pre-dissection full-body radiography. Documented in the Mattox-Beall series (Houston, 1979-1996) and the Velmahos series (1998).
Related terms
- Intermediate-Target Wound
- An entry wound produced by a bullet that has passed through an intervening object (window glass, plywood, body armour) before striking the...
- Post-Mortem Wound
- A wound inflicted after circulatory cessation. Lacks haemorrhage at the wound margin, lacks PMN infiltration, and shows reduced tissue retraction. May retain...
- Ricochet Wound
- An entry wound produced by a bullet that has deflected from a hard surface before striking the victim. Characterised by a deformed...
- Staging
- Deliberate manipulation of a death scene to mislead forensic investigation. In firearms deaths, staging typically involves post-mortem wound infliction, weapon placement, or...
- Vital Reaction
- The suite of physiological responses to tissue injury that require a functioning cardiovascular and cellular metabolism to occur: haemorrhage, neutrophil infiltration, vasoactive...
Explained in
- Atypical Firearm Wounds and the Post-Mortem DistinctionIntravascular migration of a projectile after vascular entry, carried by blood flow to a location remote from the entry wound. Presents at autopsy as a bullet...