Cerebrospinal fluid leakage and pneumocephalus secondary to spine stab wounds

Cerebro-spinal fluid leakage from a spinal stab wound is rare, and usually not a life-threatening injury. Pneumocephalus, a possible rare complication of traumatic cerebro-spinal fluid leakage, can potentially lead to intracranial hemorrhage and death. We describe two cases of spinal stab wounds com...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of orthopaedics and traumatology 2010-03, Vol.11 (1), p.57-59
Main Authors: Rahamimov, Nimrod, Mulla, Hani, Freiman, Shay
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aged
Case Report
Catheterization
Conservative Orthopedics
Drainage
Female
Head-Down Tilt
Headache - diagnostic imaging
Headache - etiology
Headache - therapy
Humans
Lumbar Vertebrae
Male
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Orthopedics
Pneumocephalus - diagnostic imaging
Pneumocephalus - etiology
Pneumocephalus - therapy
Rheumatology
Spinal Canal
Sports Medicine
Subdural Effusion - diagnostic imaging
Subdural Effusion - etiology
Subdural Effusion - therapy
Surgical Orthopedics
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Traumatic Surgery
Wounds, Stab - complications
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Summary:Cerebro-spinal fluid leakage from a spinal stab wound is rare, and usually not a life-threatening injury. Pneumocephalus, a possible rare complication of traumatic cerebro-spinal fluid leakage, can potentially lead to intracranial hemorrhage and death. We describe two cases of spinal stab wounds complicated by cerebro-spinal fluid leakage, one of them developing into severe pneumocephalus. Both patients recovered completely with the following treatment protocol: (a) trendelenburg positioning of the patient, (b) insertion of a continuous-drainage cerebro-spinal fluid catheter into the lumbar thecal sac, (c) primary suture of the leaking skin wound, (d) IV antibiotic therapy.
ISSN:1590-9921
1590-9999
DOI:10.1007/s10195-009-0070-6