# Gunshot wounds—when, medically, is it better to leave a bullet in? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 4, 2009, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gunshot-wounds-when-medically-is-it-better-to-leave-a-bullet-in/495236 "2009-05-04T01:53:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gunshot-wounds-when-medically-is-it-better-to-leave-a-bullet-in/495236/41 "2011-08-23T13:44:03Z")
> [@clairobscur](#): > > Do American doctors have to/can report it when they treat a bullet wound? Wouldn’t this be covered by medical confidentiality? It depends on the state law, but yes, they can be required to report it. Here’s the [Massachusetts law](http://www.malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXVI/Chapter112/Section12A), and here’s the [Texas law](http://law.onecle.com/texas/health/161.041.00.html). ---
**Author:** ![JoelUpchurch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gunshot-wounds-when-medically-is-it-better-to-leave-a-bullet-in/495236/42 "2011-08-23T14:52:04Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > My patient clientele (prison inmates) tend to extrude bullets at a pretty steady rate. At least 2 or 3 times a year one presents with an old bullet rising to the surface, trying to break out through the skin! > > One guy didn’t even remember being shot… I remember an old saying. If you shoot someone with a 22 and they find out about it, they are going to be pissed. I also had a boss that fell down a flight of stairs and broke his leg and didn’t realize it until he sobered up the next day. Seriously, with arthroscopic surgery how much collateral damage are we talking getting a bullet out, unless it flattened out a lot going in? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gunshot-wounds-when-medically-is-it-better-to-leave-a-bullet-in/495236/43 "2011-08-23T15:52:22Z")
> [@JoelUpchurch](#): > > Seriously, with arthroscopic surgery how much collateral damage are we talking getting a bullet out, unless it flattened out a lot going in? Arthroscopic surgery could be great if the bullet happens to be in, you know, a joint. But if it’s in muscle or soft tissue or an organ or other body cavities, I wouldn’t want to be sticking an arthroscope in there to get it. If it’s in the bladder, maybe a cystoscope can pull it out through the urethra, or if it’s sitting on top of the spleen or uterus, a laparoscope could pull it out, I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2011, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gunshot-wounds-when-medically-is-it-better-to-leave-a-bullet-in/495236/44 "2011-08-23T15:55:43Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Arthroscopic surgery could be great if the bullet happens to be in, you know, a joint. But if it’s in muscle or soft tissue or an organ or other body cavities, I wouldn’t want to be sticking an arthroscope in there to get it. **If it’s in the bladder, maybe a cystoscope can pull it out through the urethra** , or if it’s sitting on top of the spleen or uterus, a laparoscope could pull it out, I suppose. (my bolding). :eek: No thank you. Slice me open instead. ---
**Author:** ![bigshooter44](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@bigshooter44](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bigshooter44)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2011, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gunshot-wounds-when-medically-is-it-better-to-leave-a-bullet-in/495236/45 "2011-08-24T02:45:58Z")
if it was a red ryder i would have cut it out by now, it was a 2000fps varmit rifle. its well into my body… somwere… doctors tomorrow ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2011, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gunshot-wounds-when-medically-is-it-better-to-leave-a-bullet-in/495236/46 "2011-08-24T05:47:07Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > . … > Try whispering this into your paramour’s ear: “Je t’aime! Je t’aime! Maintenant fait le bruit du cochon!” Heightened sensuality will follow! > > Unless your paramour understands french. > > :smack: It’s especially meaningful if you overplay the nasal "o"s, and really get into the pig sound. ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2011, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gunshot-wounds-when-medically-is-it-better-to-leave-a-bullet-in/495236/47 "2011-08-24T17:41:26Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > It just strikes me as risible that my patients seem to excrete spent ammo from time to time. “No! I was jacking off and I shot the dog!” One of my favorite jokes. ---
**Author:** ![Dash323](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@Dash323](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dash323)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2012, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gunshot-wounds-when-medically-is-it-better-to-leave-a-bullet-in/495236/48 "2012-10-23T06:05:11Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > My patient clientele (prison inmates) tend to extrude bullets at a pretty steady rate. At least 2 or 3 times a year one presents with an old bullet rising to the surface, trying to break out through the skin! > > One guy didn’t even remember being shot… If a bullet (in my case a .22 no jacket, just lead) is lodged in a muscle or in between muscles (my forearm) does working out the muscles in the area increase the chances of the bullet migrating to the epidermis? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gunshot-wounds-when-medically-is-it-better-to-leave-a-bullet-in/495236.md?page=2)