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Updated: Jun 5, 2026

Comprehensive Endovascular and Open Surgical Management of Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformations
Published on: October 20, 2017
Retrograde migration and endovascular retrieval of a venous bullet embolus
Mary Elizabeth Schroeder1, Howard I Pryor, Albert K Chun
1Department of Surgery and Section of Vascular Surgery, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20037, USA.
Abstract:
Venous bullet embolism is a rare and complicated occurrence reported in approximately 0.3% of penetrating trauma. The management of bullet emboli is decided on a case-by-case basis, balancing the risk of the embolus itself against those associated with extraction. We report a case of a 19-year-old man who sustained a gunshot wound to the anterior chest, which migrated to the left internal iliac vein in a retrograde fashion. We were able to successfully retrieve the missile using an endovascular approach, thereby minimizing the morbidity associated with an open procedure.
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