Cervical spondylodiscitis from an ingested pin: a case report

• Published in: Journal of pediatric surgery Vol. 40; no. 3; pp. 593 - 596
• Main Authors: Wadie, George M., Konefal, Stanley H., Dias, Mike A., McLaughlin, Mark R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.03.2005
• Subjects: Accidents; Adolescent; Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination - therapeutic use; Antibiotic Prophylaxis; Bone Plates; Ceftriaxone - therapeutic use; Cervical Vertebrae - diagnostic imaging; Cervical Vertebrae - surgery; Clindamycin - therapeutic use; Combined Modality Therapy; Deglutition Disorders - etiology; Discitis - etiology; Discitis - surgery; Diskectomy; Emergencies; Equipment Contamination; Follow-Up Studies; Foreign Bodies - complications; Foreign Bodies - surgery; Humans; Laryngoscopy; Larynx - injuries; Larynx - surgery; Male; Neck Pain - etiology; Oxacillin - therapeutic use; Paresthesia - etiology; Penicillanic Acid - analogs & derivatives; Penicillanic Acid - therapeutic use; Pharynx - injuries; Pharynx - surgery; Piperacillin - therapeutic use; Radiography; Recurrence; Retropharyngeal Abscess - drug therapy; Retropharyngeal Abscess - etiology; Retropharyngeal Abscess - surgery; Spinal Fusion; Vancomycin - therapeutic use; Wounds, Penetrating - etiology; Cervical spondylodiscitis; Discitis; Esophageal foreign body
• ISSN: 0022-3468; 1531-5037
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2004.11.023

In the pediatric literature, only 1 case of cervical spondylodiscitis from an ingested foreign body is reported and this was caused by a blunt radiolucent foreign body. The authors now describe a unique case of a 13-year-old teenaged boy who presented with neck pain 6 days after accidental ingestion of a sewing pin. Uncomplicated removal of this pin was followed in 36 days by the development of cervical spondylodiscitis that failed conservative management and required surgical debridement and arthrodesis. Physicians should be aware of the possibility of this complication in any patient that presents with neck pain after foreign body ingestion.