Under general anesthesia, prone position and C-arm fluoroscopic guided, midline skin incision and subperiosteal dissection to approach the right side of high cervical area was done. To avoid metal vaporization, cauterization was used cautiously. Exposed silver-colored liquid during dissection were evacuated. When right side C3 hemilaminectomy was done and ligament flavum removed, the silver-colored liquid gushed out from the spinal canal. Exposed cervical dura was thickened owing to inflammations around the dura. In the operation field, all silverlike materials were removed. Drain catheter was inserted and operation wound was closed. On the left side of the neck, because of the muscular bleeding, C-arm fluoroscopy guided nee-
INTRODUCTIONThere are many reports about mercury poisoning 6) . Many people suffer from mercury poisoning in the industrial field, owing to environmental disasters, by accidents and even including suicidal trial. Various treatment options have been applied for the poisoned patients. However, surgical treatments are required in restricted state. Authors have experienced one case of injected mercury patients and report the complication after surgery with literature review. To our knowledge, it is the first report on surgery related vascular dissemination.
CASE REPORTA 19-year-old man in good previous health was transferred, There were only a few reports of mercury on pulmonary artery. However, there is no data on surgery related mercury dissemination. The objective of the present article is to describe one case of postoperative injected mercury dissemination. A 19-year-old man presented severe neck pain including meningeal irritation sign and abdominal pain after injection of mercury for the purpose of suicide. Radiologic study showed injected mercury in the neck involving high cervical epidural space and subcutaneous layer of abdomen. Partial hemilaminectomy and open mercury evacuation of spinal canal was performed. For the removal of abdominal subcutaneous mercury, C-arm guided needle aspiration was done. After surgery, radiologic study showed disseminated mercury in the lung, heart, skull base and low spinal canal. Neck pain and abdominal pain were improved after surgery. During 1 month after surgery, there was no symptom of mercury intoxication except increased mercury concentration of urine, blood and hair. We assumed the bone work during surgery might have caused mercury dissemination. Therefore, we recommend minimal invasive surgical technique for removal of injected mercury. If open exposures are needed, cautious surgical technique to prohibit mercury dissemination is necessary and normal barrier should be protected to prevent the migration of mercury.J Korean Neurosurg Soc 49 : 245-247, 2011 10.3340/jkns.2011.49.4.245 Copyright © 2011 The Korean Neurosurgical Society Print ISSN 2005-3711 On-line ISSN 1598-