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Updated: Oct 29, 2025
Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty
Published on: July 5, 2011
Acute Arthroscopic Removal of a Bullet Embedded in the Glenoid: A Case Report
Jonathan Guevara1, Karthikeyan Chinnakkannu2, Sivashanmugam Raju1
1Department of Orthopedics, St. Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
Introduction:
Retained bullets in joint spaces have been shown to cause both mechanical and chemical damage to the joint surfaces, leading to the risk of arthritis if untreated.
Case Report:
A case of arthroscopic treatment for a gunshot to the shoulder with a retained bullet embedded in the glenoid is presented. The patient presented with multiple gunshots to his back and extremities, including gunshot to the left leg with popliteal vein injury, gunshot to the back with lumbar level laminar fractures and acute spinal cord injury, and gunshot to the left shoulder with a retained bullet in the posterior superior glenoid.
Conclusion:
Shoulder arthroscopy can be successfully employed to retrieve larger embedded bullet or foreign body with the help of tools such as laparoscopic graspers. Even with significant glenoid bone defect, the stability of the shoulder joint does not get compromised if the bone defects are located posterosuperiorly.
