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An extraordinary case of an intracranial foreign body after a gunshot to the head

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Abstract

Intermediate targets (IT) can modify the morphology of an entrance wound, the trajectory of the bullet, and contaminate the path with fragments or material from the target. The penetration into the body of big fragments or even of an entire IT is exceptional and only rarely reported in the literature. The interpretation of a gunshot wound after contact of the bullet with IT can sometimes be very tricky as the classical morphology can be missing. The presented case is a rare example of atypical entrance wound and path due to a surprising intermediate target of a gunshot fired against the head.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University Center of Legal Medicine, Lausanne - Geneva, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland

    C. Egger & P. Mangin

  2. Service of Legal Medicine, Central Institute of the Hospital of Valais, Sion, Switzerland

    B. Schrag

  3. Institute of Pathology, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland

    C. Brunel

  4. Department of Clinical Pathology, Geneva University Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland

    J. A. Lobrinus

  5. University Center of Legal Medicine, Lausanne - Geneva, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland

    P. Mangin & T. Fracasso

Authors
  1. C. Egger
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  2. B. Schrag
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  3. C. Brunel
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  4. J. A. Lobrinus
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  5. P. Mangin
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  6. T. Fracasso
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Correspondence to C. Egger.

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Egger, C., Schrag, B., Brunel, C. et al. An extraordinary case of an intracranial foreign body after a gunshot to the head. Int J Legal Med 129, 149–152 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-014-0993-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-014-0993-1

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