A shot through the heart: a case report on retained bullet causing cardiac tamponade

Although penetrating cardiac injury carries a high mortality rate, management of these patients and complications that may arise during their hospital course are rarely explained. The diagnosis of projectile chest trauma starts with history and physical examination. The primary diagnostic modalities are the X-ray, computed tomography scan of the chest, electrocardiogram, and echocardiogram. Management of a patient with cardiac gunshot depends largely on haemodynamic status. As in our case, a patient with haemodynamic instability is managed with emergency exploration and removal of the foreign body.