Successful Surgical Treatment of a Combined Abdominal and Thoracic Impalement Injury

Abstract

Accidents do occur during the performance of different domestic chores in the garden. The resulting injuries can lead to serious morbidity and, in some cases, they can be fatal. We present a case of trauma, in a 69-year old man, caused by a fall from a tree on a vertical metal rod in his garden. The rod entered the abdominolumbal region on the right side making an exit above the left clavicle. On arrival, he was in a stable circulatory condition. A chest X-ray (Fig. [4]), thoracic and abdominal sonography followed by chest and abdominal CT scan (Figs. [1] - [3], [5]) were performed and they showed no severe injury of the heart, lung, bronchi, liver and right kidney. He underwent an emergent surgical intervention by a team of cardiothoracic, vascular and abdominal surgeons. Longitudinal sternotomy and laparotomy allowed us to remove the metal rod carefully with no severe signs of injuries of abdominal and thoracic organs. There were no surgical postoperative complications.

Key words

Impalement injury of thorax and abdomen - pericardial sac - pleural cavity - domestic chores

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