| Popis: |
patient was immediately transferred to the operating room. During induction of anaesthesia, she had a cardiac arrest. Sternotomy was done and blood evacuated from the pericardium. The left ventricular wall had a 6 3 cm bruised and bleeding surface, and there was a 3 mm wound that squirted blood near the apex. There were no bullets in the pericardium, and it had not been perforated. The left pleural cavity was opened and 3 L of blood drained. There was a large laceration of the lingula that poured out blood and air. 11 brown rubber bullets were removed from the left pleural cavity. Bleeding from the heart was nearly controlled, but the bruised area of the left ventricle burst, and attempts at repair were unsuccessful. The patient died on the table. Necropsy showed a contact entrance wound of 35 28 mm, with an abrased ring 3 mm wide; a subcutaneous blast chamber 7 cm diameter and a haematoma of the left breast and pectoral muscle. There were fractures of anterior arch of the third and fourth ribs and perforation of the second and the third left intercostal space. The 12th rubber bullet was found in the pleural cavity. The weapon used for this suicide was a “non-lethal” single-barrelled hand gun, type GC27, manufactured by SAPL (France) and loaded with a “non-lethal” 12 gauge, 50 mm mini Gomm-Cogne cartridge that contains 12 rubber bullets of 7 mm diameter (figure). “Non-lethal” weapons were first supplied to security forces. Deaths have been reported with rubber missiles (15 3·8 cm, 150 g) and with M-16 plastic and rubber ammunition. With rubber ammunition produced to be used in shotguns, severe but not lethal wounds have been reported. This is, to our knowledge, the first case of death due to such a weapon at contact range. The ventricular lesions are explained by the transmission of the kinetic energy of the missiles through the intact pericardium. Since these weapons are sold to be used by inexperienced citizens for self-defence, reported further lethal accidents will probably occur. |
