Journal Published Online: 01 November 2003
Volume 48, Issue 6

Meningitis Following Gunshot Wound of the Neck

CODEN: JFSCAS

Abstract

It is generally assumed that a missile fired from a gun is subjected to sufficient heat to render it sterilized (1,2). For this reason, retained bullets are not usually considered a source of infection. The infectious complications associated with gunshot wounds are typically attributed to perforation of a hollow viscus with leakage of gastrointestinal contents causing peritonitis or intra-abdominal abscess. There are several reports of bacterial meningitis involving the spinal cord in gunshot wounds that perforate the intestine prior to involving the thoracic or lumbar vertebral column (3–6); however, there are no published reports of cerebral meningitis resulting from a retained projectile in the spinal canal in which there was no injury to the gastrointestinal tract. This manuscript describes a woman who died as a result of unsuspected acute bacterial meningitis which developed secondary to a gunshot wound of the neck. The projectile fractured the first thoracic vertebra, lacerated the dura and contused the spinal cord at the C7-T1 junction. Meningitis developed at the C7-T1 level and ascended along the cervical spinal cord to the brain. The infection caused acute neurologic deterioration and death four days following the initial injury.

Author Information

Spitz, DJ
University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa, FL
Ouban, A
University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa, FL
Pages: 2
Price: $25.00
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Details
Stock #: JFS2003133
ISSN: 0022-1198
DOI: 10.1520/JFS2003133