Stab Wound with a Missed Broken Blade near Thoracic Vertebrae

In case of a stab wound to the lower cervical region and upper dorsal region, many organs are prone to damage, including the lung, heart, pericardium, any of the vessels in the thoracic cage, the esophagus or trachea, thoracic duct, and even spinal cord.

A 19 year-old patient arrived at the emergency department with swollen and painful upper dorsal region between the internal border of the left scapula and T2 vertebra. The patient had a history of a street fight with a stab wound on the corresponding area. Nothing abnormal was found on physical examination, and the patient was stable without any neuroglial deficit. Radiographic imaging demonstrated a foreign body lodged near the vertebra. The patient underwent an operation surgery, and the foreign body was removed without any serious complications. The foreign body was the blade of the stab, which was broken and hidden under soft tissue.

According to guidelines for a stab wound to the thoracic, a chest x-ray and exploration of the area must be performed, which were missed in the present case and potentially could lead to serious complications given multiple vital organs in that anatomical region.