Surgical treatment of delayed cervical infection and incomplete quadriplegia with fish-bone ingestion: A case report

Figure 1 Preoperative computed tomography scan. No fish bone was detected. Note the narrowing of the disc space at C4/C5 (arrow).

Figure 2 Preoperative magnetic resonance images. A: Sagittal T2-weighted fat-suppressed image shows a marked fluid collection in the spatium retropharyngeum (arrow) spreading into the spinal canal through the C4/C5 disc space; B: Sagittal gadolinium-enhanced image demonstrates a well-delineated peripherally enhancing ventral epidural abscess (arrow) extending from C6 to the foramen magnum.

Figure 3 Endoscopic examination reveals perforation (arrow) and abscess on the posterior pharyngeal wall.

Figure 4 The fish bone was found in the irrigation fluid.

Figure 5 Postoperative magnetic resonance images. A: Sagittal T1-weighted image shows that the epidural abscess (arrow) was less than that before surgery; B: Sagittal T2-weighted image demonstrates that the abscess in the posterior pharyngeal wall (arrow) was obviously less than that before surgery.

Figure 6 X-ray of cervical spine (fifth week after operation). No fish bone was detected. The nasogastric tube was placed in the esophagus.