Penetrating thoracic spine injury causing haemothorax

Abstract

Background. Penetrating spine injuries can cause catastrophic complications to the patient, and it demands immense medical care to minimize the insult. Mainly, it occurs in the military field; however, it has become more prevalent among civilians due to gun availability. The thoracic spine is the most affected part, followed by the cervical and lumbar spine. Case report. A 15-year-old teenage boy had a penetrating injury to the thoracic (T10) vertebrae due to a missile bullet that resulted in bilateral lower limb weakness and required him to undergo decompressive laminectomy. During surgery, a missed hemothorax was discovered incidentally. Conclusion. To the best of the author's knowledge, this case of penetrating thoracic spine injury due to a missile bullet associated with missed hemothorax has not been previously reported. This paper discusses the importance of early detection and treatment of injuries associated with penetrating spine trauma to improve patient survival and disability.

Keywords

• penetrating spine injury
• thoracic spine injury
• haemothorax
• missile injury