Case Report: Transoral Penetrating Medullocervical Injury by a Chopstick in Three Cats

Yukiko Nakano; Yuta Nozue; Kohei Nakata; Toru Fujioka; Yoichi Sakai; Hiroaki Kamishina

doi:10.3389/fvets.2020.609869

Case Report: Transoral Penetrating Medullocervical Injury by a Chopstick in Three Cats

Front Vet Sci. 2020 Dec 16:7:609869. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2020.609869. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Yukiko Nakano¹, Yuta Nozue¹, Kohei Nakata¹, Toru Fujioka^{2

3}, Yoichi Sakai⁴, Hiroaki Kamishina^{1

2

5}

Affiliations

¹ The Animal Medical Center of Gifu University, Gifu University, Gifu, Japan.
² The United Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences, Gifu University, Gifu, Japan.
³ Ivy Animal Clinic, Okayama, Japan.
⁴ Nishikani Animal Hospital, Gifu, Japan.
⁵ Center for Highly Advanced Integration of Nano and Life Sciences, Gifu University, Gifu, Japan.

Abstract

This case series describes transoral penetrating or contusive medullocervical injury by a wooden chopstick in three young cats presenting with acute tetraparesis. CT revealed that remnant fragments of a wooden chopstick penetrated the atlantooccipital space in cases 1 and 2. The remnant fragments were visualized clearly on CT under the bone window setting. MRI revealed a hyper-intense lesion in the spinal cord parenchyma at the level of C1 on T2-weighted images in case 3. Tetraparesis improved after surgical removal of the remnant fragment in case 2 and with supportive care in case 3.

Keywords: CT; MRI; atlantooccipital joint; chopstick; penetrating injury; surgical management.

Publication types

Case Reports