- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, United States.
Correspondence Address:
Derek David George, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, United States.
DOI:10.25259/SNI_390_2022
Copyright: © 2022 Surgical Neurology International This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-Share Alike 4.0 License, which allows others to remix, transform, and build upon the work non-commercially, as long as the author is credited and the new creations are licensed under the identical terms.How to cite this article: Derek David George, Clifton Houk, Thomas Allyn Pieters, James E. Towner, Jonathan J. Stone. Meningitis due to intra-abdominal cerebrospinal fluid fistula following gunshot wound successfully treated with antibiotics and blood patch: A case report and literature review. 15-Jul-2022;13:308
How to cite this URL: Derek David George, Clifton Houk, Thomas Allyn Pieters, James E. Towner, Jonathan J. Stone. Meningitis due to intra-abdominal cerebrospinal fluid fistula following gunshot wound successfully treated with antibiotics and blood patch: A case report and literature review. 15-Jul-2022;13:308. Available from: https://surgicalneurologyint.com/surgicalint-articles/11716/
Abstract
Background: Penetrating spinal cord injury (PSCI) represents an average of 5.5% of all SCIs among civilians in the United States. The formation of a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) fistula following PSCI occurs in approximately 9% of cases. Intra-abdominal CSF fistulae are rarely reported.
Case Description: We present the case of a 28-year-old Caucasian female who suffered a single gunshot wound to the abdomen with a missile fragment lodged within the left L2 pedicle and transverse process without obvious canal compromise. The patient developed bacterial meningitis 13 days after the initial injury, treated with IV antibiotics. CT myelogram demonstrated intra-abdominal ventral CSF fistula from the left L2–L3 neuroforamen. The patient was successfully treated with fluoroscopy-guided dorsal autologous blood patch graft.
Conclusion: This case highlights a rare complication of PSCI successfully managed with the use of a blood patch graft.
Keywords: Cerebrospinal fluid fistula, Epidural blood patch, Meningitis, Spinal gunshot wound, Trauma
INTRODUCTION
Penetrating spinal cord injury (PSCI) represents an average of 5.5% of all SCIs among civilians in the United States.[
CASE REPORT
We present the case of a 28-year-old Caucasian female who sustained a single abdominal gunshot wound (GSW). She underwent emergent laparotomy where a proximal jejunum perforation was discovered and repaired. Postoperative computed tomography (CT) imaging showed bullet fragments in and adjacent to the left L2 pedicle, without obvious spinal canal compromise [
The patient then returned to the emergency department at our center postinjury day 13 with headache, photophobia, and nausea. On examination, she was found to be febrile to 38.6 Celsius, lethargic with meningismus, but fully oriented with an otherwise nonfocal neurologic examination. Contrasted CT of the abdomen was unremarkable. CSF studies were obtained through lumbar puncture which revealed cloudy CSF with elevated nucleated cells (7925 cells/μL) and red blood cells (168 cells/μL), low glucose (<5 mg/dL), and elevated CSF protein (318 mg/dL) suggestive of bacterial meningitis. Gram stain revealed >25 polymorphonuclear cells per low-power field, but revealed no organisms, and aerobic and anaerobic culture did not identify causal organisms. Her intra-abdominal drain contents were sampled and negative for β2-transferrin. A pyelogram revealed a persistent ureteral leak, for which the patient received a ureteral stent. Empiric IV antibiotic therapy with vancomycin, cefepime, and metronidazole was initiated for the treatment of meningitis and sustained for 14 days. A lumbar CT myelogram was obtained, revealing an area of contrast leakage ventrally into the retroperitoneum in the area of the left L2–L3 neuroforamen without myelographic block [
DISCUSSION
Within the United States, PSCI represents 5.5% of all SCIs among civilians.[
Due to the abdomen and pelvis being common regions of firearm injuries, the incidence of concomitant abdominal or pelvic organ injury is high, with studies estimating abdominal viscus injury occurring in 57–69% of cases.[
CSF fistula is an uncommon complication of firearm-associated PSCI, occurring in approximately 9% of cases.[
At present, there are no guidelines for the management of CSF fistulae from traumatic missile injuries to the spine.[
In the cases that spontaneous resolution of CSF fistula does not result, CSF diversion may be attempted. For example, fistulae isolated to the thoracolumbar spine may benefit from placement of a lumbar drain.[
CONCLUSION
Intra-abdominal CSF fistula secondary to projectile missile injury represents an uncommon manifestation of penetrating vertebral column injuries. Such fistulae are associated with higher rates of meningitis or other nervous system infections. Various treatment modalities have been described; however, there are no guidelines for the treatment of these fistulae. In our case, the patient presented with a single projectile missile wound to the abdomen with an involvement of the left L2 pedicle and L2–L3 neuroforamen. Our patient presented in a slightly delayed fashion with meningitis, and intraperitoneal CSF fistula was confirmed on CT myelogram. She was treated with empiric antibiotic therapy and dorsal epidural blood patch grafting, with resolution of meningitis and without development of intracranial hypotension symptoms. Our case demonstrates the successful treatment of this rare clinical entity with a minimally invasive approach.
Declaration of patient consent
The authors certify that they have obtained all appropriate patient consent.
Financial support and sponsorship
Nil.
Conflicts of interest
There are no conflicts of interest.
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