Delayed presentation of spinal foreign body - Case report and review of literature

Although spinal cord injuries are frequent causes of myelopathy in young patients, stab wounds of the spinal cord rarely occur and are typically maximal symptomatic immediately after the trauma.

A 31-year-old male developed delayed onset of symptoms 4 years after a stab wound to the cervical spinal cord attributed to a plant needle (plant called Mandacaru). Following removal of the foreign body and decompression/excision of scarring at the C34 level, the patient's symptoms resolved.

Surgical excision should be encouraged to remove chronic penetrating foreign bodies to both decompress and untether the spinal cord.