title: Stab wound with lodged knife tip causing spinal cord and vertebral artery injuries: case report and literature review.
abstract: METHODS
  Case report and literature review.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To report the case of a young patient who sustained a penetrating wound with a knife tip retained in his cervical vertebrae and to review the literature.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Stab wound with foreign body retained, associated with spinal cord injury and vertebral artery injury, is not commonly reported. The timing and approach of surgical intervention are still controversial.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 17-year-old boy with a wound in the neck presented with diminishing feeling and dysfunction of the left leg and arm. Radiographs demonstrated a foreign body at the C4 level, and possible spinal cord and vertebral artery injuries were detected by computed tomography. Digital subtracted angiography showed a small lateral opening of the injured artery, which was successfully embolized. The knife tip was removed from the original wound without severe cerebrospinal fluid leakage or bleeding,
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patient achieved immediate improvement after the operation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cases of simultaneous spinal cord injury and vertebral artery injury in which the foreign body is retained are uncommonly reported. Digital subtracted angiography is necessary for cervical penetrating wounds and surgical approach should be individualized.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Xinlei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Feizhou
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Jianyuan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Lixun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiaosheng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015901:Angiography, Digital Subtraction; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019838:Neck Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D013124:Spinal Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014711:Vertebral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries*; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014951:Wounds, Stab / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging