Penetrating Cervical Spine Injury without Spinal Cord Damage: A Case Report

CASE: We report a case of a 65-year-old man attempting suicide through anterior neck stabbing with an ice pick. Computed tomography showed spinal canal penetration at C4-5 near the midline, sparing the trachea, esophagus, and major vessels. The foreign body was removed under general anesthesia; cerebrospinal fluid leakage was noted, and the wound was tightly closed with a fibrin-based sealant. No motor or sensory deficits were present preoperatively or postoperatively. CONCLUSION: This case shows that penetrating cervical spinal canal injuries may occur without neurological impairment. Careful extraction under general anesthesia, ideally with neuromonitoring, is recommended to minimize complications.