Expert: Anil Aluri MD - 7/17/2006

Question
Hi.  I am wondering- If a person is shot in the upper right chest, and the bullet goes out the back without hitting any major organs, what would the treatment be, and would they be unconscious for any reason?  

Thanks :-)

Answer
Dear Jennifer,

             A person being shot in the right upper chest not having any major organ injury is very lucky and if it went through and through as you say is still very lucky!
              The complications that I would worry about are the following: 1) Dropped Lung (Pneumothorax).
2) Muscle Trauma
3) Infection from the clothing that entered the body as the bullet passed through.
               The treatment would be specific to the injury, Now as for being usnconcious? That is on acase to case basis and hard to say as a generalized symptom.

A.K. Aluri MD