Secondary Missile
Definition
A bone fragment or other dense internal body component that is driven by bullet impact to become a projectile in its own right, causing wound tracts distinct from the primary bullet track. Most significant with large cortical bones (femur, pelvis, skull). Identified on pre-dissection radiograph as irregular dense fragments at a distance from the primary wound channel.
- Cause
- Bullet impact driving a bone fragment as projectile
- Most significant with
- Femur, pelvis, skull
- Imaging sign
- Irregular dense fragments off primary track
- Field
- Wound ballistics
Common questions
How is a secondary missile wound distinguished from the primary bullet track?+
The secondary wound tract typically diverges from the main path, contains irregular bone fragments rather than the bullet or jacket, and lacks the entry or exit beveling characteristic of a true gunshot wound.
Why does pre-dissection radiography matter for identifying secondary missiles?+
It maps dense fragment positions relative to the primary track before tissue is disturbed, helping the pathologist separate fragment-caused injury from a second gunshot and avoid miscounting wounds.
Can secondary missiles injure tissue independent of the direct bullet path?+
Yes, a bone fragment driven at speed can perforate adjacent organs or vessels along its own trajectory, so injuries some distance from the primary track are not automatically evidence of a separate shot.
Related terms
- Abrasion Collar
- The rim of abraded, dried skin surrounding a gunshot entry wound, produced by the bullet stretching the skin inward before perforation. Width...
- Blow-Out Exit Wound
- A large, ragged exit wound with radiating lacerations produced when the bullet retains high residual kinetic energy at exit and the skin...
- Grease Ring
- A grey-to-black discolouration at the outer margin of the entry wound's abrasion collar, caused by lubricant and metal fouling on the bullet...
- Permanent Cavity
- The lasting wound channel produced by the bullet's direct crushing and laceration of tissue. Diameter approximates expanded projectile diameter. At handgun velocities,...
- Shored Exit Wound
- An exit wound in which the exiting skin is braced against a hard surface at the moment of exit, preventing eversion and...
- Temporary Cavity
- The transient radial tissue displacement produced by a bullet's passing. Caused by the transfer of kinetic energy to surrounding tissue via compression...