Citation

Contargyris C, Peytel E. Ann. Fr. Anesth. Reanim. 2012; 31(5): 469-471.

Vernacular Title

Commotio cordis apres impact precordial de Flashball((R)).

Affiliation

Unité de réanimation polyvalente, hôpital d'instruction des armées Laveran, 13, boulevard Alphonse-Laveran, 13013 Marseille, France.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.annfar.2012.01.027

PMID

22487658

Abstract

Less lethal weapons, like Flashball(®), are more and more used since 1995 in law enforcement, even by the local police to neutralize combative individuals and to disperse riot crowds. This gun fires large rubber bullets and has been incriminated many times in cases of face injuries with functional consequences. In this case report, we mention a case of sudden death from cardiac arrest due to low energy chest wall impact of a rubber bullet shot with the Flashball. Commotio cordis is potentialized by a lethal set of three including, a certain impact velocity, an exact location of the hit over the cardiac silhouette, and a precise timing 15 m/s prior to the peak of the T-wave. This case report highlights the fact that such impacts can cause significant injury to internal organs, in particular circonstances, implying the necessity of a raising awareness of the medical staff, in ordre to not underestimate the severity of such injuries.

Language: fr