Journal Information
Vol. 21. Issue 4.
Pages 326-329 (January 2010)
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Vol. 21. Issue 4.
Pages 326-329 (January 2010)
Cranio-thoracic bullet migration over a period of 27 years: case report
Migración craneo-torácica de una bala: descripción de un caso
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C. Castillo-Rangel
, G. Reyes-Soto, R. Mendizábal-Guerra
Department of Neurosurgery. Hospital Juarez de México
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Summary

We report the case of a 36 year old woman that was hurt in the head with a lost bullet while walking through the street when she was 9 years old. On admission, the patient was fully conscious with no neurological deficits. Skull radiography showed the intracranial bullet but she was dispatched after 24 hours of observation without neurological deterioration. Six months later she suddenly presented quadriplegia and after one year of rehabilitation she recovered the mobility and strength in all her limbs. 25 years latter she began with thoracic pain (dermatomal sensory changes), constipation, paresthesias and weakness in the lower extremities; the X-Ray showed a bullet caliber 9 mm in the thoracic canal at T4 level. The bullet was removed via posterior laminectomy and dorsal midline mielotomy. 12 hours after surgery, the patient presented signs of medullar shock. The post-operatory MRI showed the trajectory of the bullet through the brain to the spinal cord in FLAIR, and spinal cord edema as well. The patient received steroids as treatment for the spinal cord edema, and with the help of rehabilitation she recovered movement in the lower extremities 30 days after the surgery.

Key words:
Thoracic canal
Quadriplegia
Laminectomy
Bullet
Migration
Resumen

Presentamos el caso de una mujer de 36 años de edad, que resultó herida en la cabeza con una bala perdida mientras caminaba a través de la calle cuando tenía 9 años de edad. Ingresó en otro hospital consciente y sin déficit neurológico. La radiografía de cráneo mostró una bala intracraneal, pero se envió a su domicilio después de 24 horas de observación sin deterioro neurológico. Seis meses más tarde presentó quadriplejía de forma súbita. Después de un año de rehabilitación recuperó la movilidad y fuerza en sus miembros inferiores. Tras 25 años comenzó con dolor torácico (cambios sensoriales), estreñimiento, parestesias y debilidad en las extremidades inferiores; las radiografías simples de tórax mostraron una bala a nivel T4. La bala fue extirpada mediante laminectomía posterior y mielotomía dorsal de línea media. Doce horas después de la cirugía, el paciente presentó signos de shock medular. La resonancia magnética de cráneo mostró la trayectoria de la bala a través del cerebro a la médula espinal mediante FLAIR. Después de la operación la paciente continuó con esteroides y rehabilitación, recuperando la movilidad de los miembros inferiores, treinta días después de la cirugía.

Palabras clave:
Canal torácico
Quadriplejía
Laminectomía
Bala
Migración

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