Penetrating Cervical Spine Injury without Spinal Cord Damage: A Case Report

We report a case of a 65-year-old man attempting suicide through anterior neck stabbing with an ice pick. Computed tomography showed spinal canal penetration at C4-5 near the midline, sparing the trachea, esophagus, and major vessels. The foreign body was removed under general anesthesia; cerebrospinal fluid leakage was noted, and the wound was tightly closed with a fibrin-based sealant. No motor or sensory deficits were present preoperatively or postoperatively.

This case shows that penetrating cervical spinal canal injuries may occur without neurological impairment. Careful extraction under general anesthesia, ideally with neuromonitoring, is recommended to minimize complications.