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Case Reports
. 2020 Oct 8:30:100362.
doi: 10.1016/j.tcr.2020.100362. eCollection 2020 Dec.

Do lodged foreign bodies in the neck need to be removed? No defined criteria in 2020. Fluoroscopy role and review of literature: A case report

Cesar Reategui  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Do lodged foreign bodies in the neck need to be removed? No defined criteria in 2020. Fluoroscopy role and review of literature: A case report

Cesar Reategui. Trauma Case Rep. .

Erratum in

Abstract

Penetrating neck wounds can be fatal and require prompt attention. The trauma literature is flooded with management protocols for penetrating wounds to the neck; however, in the absence of hard signs the definitive management of lodged foreign bodies beyond the platysma is less clear. This report describes a work-related injury of a Caucasian 33-year-old male who arrived in the Emergency Department (ER) with a 1 cm metallic foreign body (FB) lodged in zone II of the neck, 7 mm antero-lateral to the right internal carotid artery. The technical aspects of its retrieval are discussed as well as a literature review of the current management of embedded FBs in the neck. The patient was taken to the operating room and the FB was removed via a 3 cm incision. Fluoroscopy was used for exact localization of and to allow a precise skin incision overlying the FB. The FB was retrieved uneventfully; a fiberoptic esophagoscopy and bronchoscopy showed normal findings. The patient was discharged home the next day. At 15 months follow-up he is doing well without sequela. The use of fluoroscopy is strongly encouraged for FB removal in asymptomatic patients. The management of lodged foreign bodies in the neck should be part of future guidelines.

Keywords: Fluoroscopy; Foreign body; Neck trauma; Removal.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
CT Scan Coronal Cut. Notice the FB (arrow) lateral to the thyroid cartiladge (TC). It can be seen embeded in the SCM muscle with small amount of air surrounding it.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
CT scan axial cut. Notice the FB (arrow) 7.4 mm antero lateral to the right common carotid artery (CA).
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
FB retrieved during surgery. A. flat metalic fragment of 1 x 0.5 cm.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Anterolateral view of patient's neck. The 2 blue marks were used for location. The 2 planes were provided by the c arm at 90 degrees. 1 cm deep to where both lines join the FB was found.
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Anterior view of patient's neck the day after surgery, right before discharge.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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