Citation

Wu K, Ahmed A. Emerg. Med. J. 2005; 22(2): 148-149.

Affiliation

Department of Ear, Nose and Throat Surgery, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, UK. drkenwu@hotmail.com

Copyright

(Copyright © 2005, BMJ Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1136/emj.2003.006205

PMID

15662074

PMCID

PMC1726683

Abstract

Pharyngeal injuries caused by trauma are common and have been reported previously in the medical literature. In some cases of a penetrating injury there is a collection of air in the retropharyngeal space that can be shown on lateral soft tissue radiography of the neck. If this condition is not diagnosed or adequately treated the patient may develop severe complications such as mediastinitis. A case is reported of a patient with penetrating injury caused by a curtain rail and the subsequent treatment is described.

Language: en