A Case Involving Needles in the Medulla Oblongata, Cervical Spinal Cord, and Abdomen

Overview

Journal NMC Case Rep J

Specialty Neurology

Date 2017 Jul 1

PMID 28663946

Authors

Hao-Yu Zhang

Da Li

Zhen Wu

Li-Wei Zhang

Jun-Ting Zhang

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

It is extremely rare to encounter intracranial foreign bodies caused by penetrating injuries other than gunshot wounds or low-velocity wounds. We present a case describing a 5-year-old girl with metallic foreign bodies in the medulla oblongata, cervical spinal cord, and abdomen. The foreign bodies may have been there and remained silent for several years until the patient developed nausea and vomiting that persisted for 3 months. A craniotomy and a laparotomy were performed after a thorough discussion. Five pieces of metallic foreign bodies were removed, and the patient had a good outcome. Despite the precarious location of the needles in the medulla oblongata and cervical spinal cord, this rare case supports the use of surgery to remove the foreign bodies.

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