A Case of Impalement Injury Through the Neck to the Oral Cavity

Abstract

We report herein on an impalement injury in a 76-year-old woman caused by a wooden chair accessory that penetrated through her neck into the oral cavity.
The penetrating object had already been removed when the patient was brought to our clinic. Enhanced CT showed emphysema from the retropharyngeal space to the right lateral neck, but there was no damage to major vessels or submandibular gland.
Under general anesthesia, the wound was debrided. After the operation, the patient received administration of antibiotics. On day 12 after the surgery a videofluorographic study showed no leakage of the wound, and she started feeding orally. The postoperative course was good and the patient was discharged 18 days after surgery without any complications.