A Case of Penetrating Neck Injury with Retained Foreign Body in the Cervical Vertebral Body and Vertebral Artery Dissection

Abstract

Vertebral artery injury is an uncommon but life-threatening condition. We report a young lady with penetrating neck injury, after stabbed by her husband with a ceramic knife, resulting in right C5 nerve root injury and vertebral artery dissection. The tip of the knife was retained in the cervical vertebral body. Embolisation of the proximal vertebral artery was performed before the removal of the retained knife tip. The nerve root injury was successfully repaired and the patient had only minimal proximal weakness after the operation. The management of penetrating neck trauma with vertebral artery injury is discussed.

Embolism of a Piece of Iron after Penetrating Neck Injury: From Right Internal Jugular Vein to Left Lower Lobe of the Lung

“…Complications can be prevented if early diagnosis and treatment are performed in cases in which a foreign body has penetrated the vascular system (16)(17)(18). Early removal of a foreign body prevents fatal consequences, such as serious cardiac injury or pulmonary embolism.…”

That's No Bee Sting: Penetrating Neck Trauma with Isolated Vertebral Artery Injury

“…Penetrating neck trauma is defined as a neck wound breaching the platysma and accounts for 1 per cent of all trauma in the United States. 4 Of the three neck zones, zone II is the largest, covering the area between the angle of the mandibles and the cricoid cartilage, and is most commonly involved in PNT. 2 Isolated vertebral artery injury from PNT is rare and accounts for approximately 0.5 per cent of cases of arterial trauma.…”