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Updated: Jul 2, 2026

A Novel Vertebral Stabilization Method for Producing Contusive Spinal Cord Injury
Published on: January 5, 2015
Unusual stab injury of the spinal cord
S O'Neill1, C S McKinstry, S M Maguire
1Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, UK.
Objective:
To report an unusual penetrating stab injury of the spinal cord.
Design:
Case report of a 13-year-old boy who sustained cervical trauma following an accident while playing.
Setting:
Spinal Cord Injuries Unit, Musgrave Park Hospital, Belfast, UK.
Case Report:
Mechanism of injury was by a spear-like electric fence post entering the neck. Initial neurological examination revealed tetraplegia with C4 sensory level. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of spinal cord demonstrates the penetrating injury.
Conclusion:
No ligamentous instability was demonstrated. In the absence of this, the penetrating injury by a short blade thrown at speed was felt to be responsible for the subsequent injury and resulting outcome at discharge of C4 American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) grade D tetraplegia.
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