Dislodgment of a bullet from the sinus of Valsalva by cardiac catheterization

The proper management of a patient with a retained intracardiac foreign body depends upon its precise localization and the accurate assessment of resulting cardiac damage. Cardiac catheterization with selective angiocardiographic studies provides a means for identifying both the exact location of the foreign body and the mechanism and extent of any cardiac dysfunction, including trauma to a coronary artery. In addition, the case reported documents the dislodgment of a bullet from the sinus of a coronary cusp by cardiac catheterization.