Steel bar penetrating cervical spinal canal without neurological injury: A case report

Figure 1 A 58-year-old male patient with a penetrating injury in the front of the neck caused by a steel bar. A tracheotomy was performed before surgery.

Figure 2 Upon admission, the patient underwent computed tomography scan and 3D reconstruction, which revealed the trajectory of the steel bar. Although the metal artifacts were obvious, we found that the steel bar had penetrated the cervical spinal canal seriously.

Figure 3 The steel bar removed from the patient.

Figure 4 3D computed tomography of the cervical spine postoperatively: The inlet (left picture, arrow) and outlet (right picture, arrow) of the steel bar penetration to the cervical spine canal.

Figure 5 The trajectory of the steel bar revealed by postoperative computed tomography at different horizontal planes.