title: Pneumorrhachis of thoracic spine after gunshot wound.
abstract: Air in the spinal canal (Pneumorrhachis) is a rare complication of traumatic spinal injuries reported at various levels of the spinal canal. Pneumorrhachis resolves spontaneously most of the times. Rarely, it may cause cord compression. It is important to rule out potentially serious causes like basilar skull fracture, injury to lungs, mediastinum, mastoid air cells, frontal sinuses or intestine. We present a case of pneumorrhachis in a young soldier who sustained gunshot wound in neck, resulting in spinal cord injury, He was managed conservatively and pneumorrhachis resolved spontaneously without complications. Pathogenesis along with review of relevant literature is presented.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Combined Military Hospital, Pano Aqil Cantt, Sindh. farooqrathore@gmail.com
authors.forename: Farooq Azam
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Rathore
authors.forename: Zaheer Ahmad
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: Gill
authors.forename: Malik Muhammad
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Amjad Yasin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004646:Emphysema / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013115:Spinal Canal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014948:Wounds, Gunshot / Q000150:complications*