title: Penetrating knitting needle through the mediastinum in a child.
abstract: Thoracic injuries are second only to central nervous system injuries as the leading cause of traumatic death in patients of all ages. Penetrating chest injury is very uncommon in children, but it comes with significant morbidity and mortality. Presentation of penetrating thoracic injury in the child is unique with inherent opportunities for learning. The purpose of this case report was to disseminate information regarding rare thoracic trauma in the pediatric patient.
authors.affiliation: Trauma Services (Ms Gettig and Drs Lawson and Garcia) and Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery (Dr Fox), Dell Children's Medical Center of Central Texas, Austin.
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gettig
authors.forename: Karla A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Lawson
authors.forename: Nilda M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: Kenneth A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Fox
mesh_terms: D000061:Accidents, Home; D000792:Angiography / Q000379:methods; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008482:Mediastinum / Q000293:injuries; D009339:Needles; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D013908:Thoracotomy / Q000379:methods; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*