Penetrating air gun wound in the neck

Background: Injuries from air weapons can be serious and potentially fatal. It has been estimated that up to four million such weapons exist in UK households. Case report: We present the case of an 8-year-old boy who sustained a penetrating neck wound from an air gun. Use of the flexible laryngoscope in the resuscitation room allowed localization of the gun pellet in the airway. Conclusions: This approach, combined with careful clinical assessment led to immediate removal by direct laryngoscopy, thus avoiding the morbidity of unnecessary surgical exploration.