Citation

Guenther TM, Gustafson JD, Wozniak CJ, Zakaluzny SA, Utter GH. J. Surg. Case Rep. 2020; 2020(4): rjaa078.

Affiliation

Department of Surgery, University of California Davis, 2335 Stockton Blvd, 5th floor, Sacramento CA 95817, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Oxford University Press)

DOI

10.1093/jscr/rjaa078

PMID

32351684

PMCID

PMC7180322

Abstract

Bean bag guns were developed as a nonlethal means for law enforcement personnel to subdue individuals. The large surface area and lower velocities of the bean bag round theoretically result in transfer of most of the energy to the skin/subcutaneous tissue and minimize the likelihood of dermal penetration, thereby 'stunning' intended victims without causing injury to deeper structures. However, this technology has been associated with significant intra-abdominal and intrathoracic injuries, skin penetration and death. We present a 59-year-old man who sustained a penetrating thoracic injury from a bean bag gun. Although the bean bag was successfully removed, the patient developed a postoperative empyema requiring operative management. We discuss the unique aspects of thoracic trauma from bean bag ballistics as well as considerations in management of patients with this uncommon mechanism of injury.

Published by Oxford University Press and JSCR Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved. © The Author(s) 2020.

Language: en

Keywords

bean bag trauma; empyema; penetrating thoracic trauma