Medtronic Defibrillator Stops Bullet

Bullet became lodged in Florida man's heart device

Published : Wednesday, 07 Oct 2009, 10:22 AM CDT

MINNEAPOLIS - A defibrillator made by Fridley, Minnesota-based Medtronic is credited with stopping a bullet in the chest of a gunshot victim.

Doctors in Florida say the 61-year-old unidentified man had an implantable cardiac defibrillator to prevent sudden cardiac arrest.

The October edition of the journal Heart Rhythm says the man suffered a gunshot wound to the chest, but had no damage to his lungs or circulatory system because the bullet became lodged in the stopwatch-sized device. Surgeons removed metal fragments and the device from the man's chest and he was discharged from the hospital the next day.

Medtronic spokeswoman Catherine Peloquin says it's good to know the device was able to help in "a nontraditional way."

I work for a defib manufacturer. I believe the cases are made of titanium. Their broad aspect ratio relative to the likely angle of attack of the bullet, would probably also help a lot, i.e. it would spread the force out.