PUMCH Extraction of a 10cm Hooked Foreign Body in the Cervical Canal

🩺 [Challenge: Anatomical Complexity]

A 10cm metallic foreign body with a hooked tip was lodged in the cervical canal of a 12-year-old.

The object penetrated via the intervertebral foramen, resting between the spinal cord and the vertebral artery.

Risk: Potential spinal cord compression or vertebral artery laceration, leading to paraplegia or stroke.

⚖️ [Decision: Technical Strategy]

The PUMCH team utilized a "Hybrid Operating Room" protocol.

Logic: Real-time intraoperative angiography monitored vertebral artery tension.

Simultaneous electrophysiological monitoring quantified neural risk into waveform data to guide extraction.

🛠️ [Key Maneuvers]

Pre-operative reconstruction simulated the penetration trajectory.

Anterolateral cervical approach was used to expose the distal end of the metal.

Technique: Forceps extraction strictly along the inverse vector of penetration at a constant speed to prevent secondary tissue damage from the hook.

✨ [Clinical Insight]

Underscores the MDT workflow for managing complex spinal foreign bodies.

Integration of imaging and monitoring provides a quantifiable safety margin for high-cervical emergencies.