Successful management of impaled ice-pick stab injury of the suprarenal aorta - lessons learnt

Abstract

Penetrating injury of the aorta is rare and lethal. The reported mortality rate is very high. Few patients survive and present to the hospital. Some of these injuries are salvageable if treated in a timely and aggressive manner.Here we present a case of penetrating injury of the aorta with impalement of the ice-pick, which was successfully managed with laparotomy and primary repair of the aortic injury after adequate resuscitation.

Keywords

• Penetrating injury
• Aorta
• Surgery
• Resuscitation
• Vascular surgery