title: Abscess formation in vertebral canal and presacral area following penetrating injury of rectum and sacral vertebra by a steel rod.
abstract: Penetrating injury to the rectum, vertebral body and spinal cord by a steel rod is a rare condition. Treatment of this kind of injury is very challenging. Rectal injury requires repair and fecal diversion, while debridement of the spine is difficult, especially when the injury site is very long. Here we report a case of penetrating injury of rectum and sacral vertebra by a steel rod after falling onto the ground from 1 m height. The abscess cavity was irrigated with 3% hydrogen peroxide and physio-logical saline repeatedly. The bony canal was carefully debrided, curetted and bony fragments were removed. Spinal irrigation and drainage lasted for 2 months and sensitive antibiotic (amikacin sulfate) was given 7 days after surgery, but abscess was still formed in the vertebral canal. At 6-month follow-up, the patient was paralyzed without any neurological improvement, and the pain in low back and lower limb still continued.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns and Combined Injury, Trauma Center, Institute of Surgery Research, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400042, China.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Qing-Shan
authors.initials: QS
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Lian-Yang
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Shi-Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Yuan-Zhang
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Xiao-Ying
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess; D004322:Drainage; D006801:Humans; D012007:Rectum; D013232:Steel; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D013232:Steel