Surgical management of combined stab injury of the spinal cord and the aorta--case report.

A 32-year-old man presented with a combined penetrating stab injury of the spinal cord and the aorta caused by a knife wound in his back at the low thoracic level. The knife had broken, and part of the blade had been retained in the wound, passing through the spinal canal and into the aortic lumen. The patient was treated in two steps: the aorta was repaired by a thoracotomy, then spinal exploration was carried out through a laminectomy. Because of the tamponade effect of the foreign body, it was necessary to delay removal of the blade until vascular control had been achieved. Any sign of a penetrating body passing through the spine should suggest careful evaluation to detect any visceral injury, and multidisciplinary treatment should be planned.