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I have a lead fragment from a gunshot wound in my leg. It doesn't bother me, but I wonder about lead poisoning. Is this possible from such a small piece?

It's possible, but the body usually forms a protective coating around the bullet fragment. The bullet gets surrounded by a fibrous membrane filled with fluid.

Studies show the body can still absorb the lead and cause a toxic response. Lead poisoning occurs over time as the amount of lead absorbed increases. It's usually a slow process, but can be speeded up by alcoholism or infection.

A blood test can be done to look for lead poisoning. Normal blood lead level is zero. Toxicity doesn't appear until the lead in blood is more than 24 mg/dL, so we can't depend on outward signs. Ask your doctor about your concerns and get a baseline blood level if you haven't already done so.

Reference: 

Gaetano J. Scuderi, MD, et al. Long-Term Clinical Manifestations of Retained Bullet Fragments Within the Intervertebral Disk Space. In Journal of Spinal Disorders. April 2004. Vol. 17. No. 2. Pp. 108-111.

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