Doctors Claim Woman’s Breast Implant Saved Her Life When She Got Shot

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1 min read
April 22, 2020

The Sage Journals’ Plastic Surgery Case Studies revealed a new report this week that claimed a woman’s life was saved by her breast implants when she was shot with a gun.

The report states:

A 30-year-old woman with a history of subpectoral silicone breast implants placed through a periareolar incision (450 mL smooth round) was seen by the trauma service for evaluation of penetrating chest trauma due to gunshot wound. The events of the evening are the subject of investigation. The patient reported walking down street and feeling heat and pain in her left chest, looking down and seeing blood, and taking herself into the local emergency department.

The firearm was never recovered, and the shooter remains unknown. The patient was transferred to our trauma center in stable condition with no additional injuries. Clinical examination revealed a comfortable patient in no distress with a single entry wound in the superior pole of the left breast.

The entry wound demonstrated thermal injury surrounding the bullet hole indicating close proximity to the discharging firearm. A hard, subcutaneous, bullet-like mass was also palpable in the right lower anterior thoracic wall inferior to the right breast. Trauma radiographs demonstrate the radio-opaque bullet in the right lateral thoracic wall, a fractured rib and gas in the left breast. These 3 pieces of evidence give clues to the bullet’s trajectory from left breast entrance to right thoracic wall resting place. A computed tomography (CT) scan was obtained which revealed areas of pulmonary contusion but no intrathoracic injury. In the left-sided breast implant, there was debris and air.

There was also some air noted in the right breast implant. The patient was evaluated and cleared by our trauma service.

 

Breast augmentation with silicone implants is one of the most commonly performed operations by plastic surgeons. Here, we report a case of a 30-year-old female patient with a ballistic injury to bilateral breast implants, where the silicone implant was likely responsible for deflecting the bullets trajectory and saving the women’s life. Ballistics analysis of bullet trajectory was performed with high-resolution computed tomography scan analysis. Operative management was implant removal, pocket irrigation, and a short course of antibiotics. A literature review was performed on all previously published breast implant–related firearm injuries. The authors advise operative management with implant removal and delay of replantation for minimum 6 months’ time.

Don’t believe it? Check out the full report here.

Now for something totally random…

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.

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