In a surprising study recently published, researchers reported a rare case that is one of a kind in the medical field: a silicone breast implant redirected a bullet, likely saving the woman’s life. The incident occurred in Ontario, Canada, and local police have yet to identify a suspect or locate the weapon used in the crime.
One thing is certain: the 30-year-old woman was shot while walking down the street; in the darkness, the bullet suddenly struck her.
“The patient recounted that while walking down the street, she suddenly felt a warmth and pain in her left breast; when she looked down, she saw blood.“, the research team, led by plastic surgeon Giancarlo McEvenue, wrote in their report.
After being rushed to the hospital, the woman’s health stabilized. Her body showed no other injuries apart from the bullet wound in the upper left breast.
Upon examining the gunshot wound, doctors observed thermal damage in the area where the bullet made contact with the skin, indicating that the firearm was likely very close to the victim. They could feel a hard, bullet-shaped mass under the skin on her right breast. X-ray images showed that the bullet remained inside the patient’s body, with one rib fractured and some lung tissue slightly damaged; however, none of these factors posed a threat to her life. The bullet had penetrated from the left breast to the right, causing damage to both silicone implants.
Doctors retrieved the bullet and sent it to the police; the investigation is still ongoing. Analyzing the injuries, researchers traced the bullet’s path and concluded: the bullet would have penetrated the woman’s body and struck her heart if the silicone mass had not redirected it, likely saving her life.
Currently, the victim has fully recovered.