Antenatal bullet injury: an unusual cause of pneumothorax in a new born

ABSTRACT

Mrs. Ghulam Sughra 20 years of age was married to a policeman eleven months back. One day while her husband was cleaning his revolver, she was accidentally hit by a bullet in her abdomen. Intitiall she was managed by a general prectitoner who referred her to District Headquarter Hospital, Rawalpindi. She was in shock. Her pulse and BP were not recordable. A few pints of blood was immediately arranged and transfusion was started. On history and Physical examination she was found 38 weeks pregnant and was examined by the Obstetrician. The fetus was in diastress. Fetal heart beast were irregular and rate was more than 160 per minute. An emergency cesarean section was carried out about 18 hours after the injury and male baby was delivered. The bullet was found impacted in R[t] paravertebral muscles