ABSTRACT

The incidence of spinal cord injury from gunshot wounds in penetrating trauma continues to increase with the violent nature of society Intraspinal migratory missiles represent a very rare subset of the gunshot wounds to the spine. The appropriate course of action in patients with migratory bullets in spinal canal remains unclear, because the number of cases described in the literature is not sufficient to provide a basis on which to make a definitive therapeutic decision. We are reporting a case of intraspinal migration of bullet from D10 region to L5-S1 disc space resulting in neurological deficit.

Plain radiography and CT-scan confirmed the intraspinal migration of the bullet. Removal of the intraspinal bullet was planned, but patient refused surgery. A thorough review of the literature about approach in such special situations is also presented.