Delayed presentation of spinal foreign body - Case report and review of literature.

ABSTRACT: Although spinal cord injuries are frequent causes of myelopathy in young patients, stab wounds of the spinal cord rarely occur and are typically maximal symptomatic immediately after the trauma.A 31-year-old male developed delayed onset of symptoms 4 years after a stab wound to the cervical spinal cord attributed to a plant needle (plant called Mandacaru). Following removal of the foreign body and decompression/excision of scarring at the C34 level, the patient's symptoms resolved.Surgical excision should be encouraged to remove chronic penetrating foreign bodies to both decompress and untether the spinal cord.

SUBMITTER: Onishi FJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5523475 | biostudies-other | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other