A remarkable medical case has recently been reported. A man in his 20s in the United States lived for seven months with a 10cm knife blade fragment in his buttocks. This incident was a bizarre occurrence during an emergency surgery, involving the urgent judgment of medical staff and the complex anatomical structure of the human body.

Quick Judgment in an Emergency Situation

When this patient first arrived at the emergency room, he was in a critical condition due to severe bleeding. His blood pressure was dropping rapidly, and his pulse was racing, indicating a life-threatening situation. Medical staff immediately transferred him to the operating room to focus on hemostasis. During this process, a CT scan was omitted, and surgery was performed to open the abdomen and suture damaged organs. The surgery was successful, but the patient complained of leg pain.

Discovery of the Knife Fragment

Even after discharge, the patient suffered from severe pain and a foreign body sensation in his left leg. He eventually returned to the hospital, where he underwent an abdominal and pelvic CT scan. The results revealed a 10cm knife blade fragment lodged in his buttock muscles. Part of the blade was deeply embedded in his pelvic bone.

Why Was It Missed?

How could a 10cm knife blade be missed even in a top American university hospital with a world-class medical system? This can be attributed to several factors:

• Principle of Prioritizing Hemostasis: For emergency medical teams, stopping massive bleeding is the top priority. A swift surgery was necessary to save the patient's life.
• Anatomical Structure: The blade penetrated the abdomen and lodged deep within the muscle layers outside the peritoneum. This area is a blind spot that is not easily visible during surgery.
• Blade Fracture: As the blade became lodged in the pelvic bone, it broke, remaining inside the body rather than being apparent from the external wound.

Future Preventive Measures

To prevent similar incidents, contrast-enhanced CT scans specifically for veins, where contrast is injected only into the veins, are now commonly used as a standard procedure. This method accurately detects foreign objects while reducing the risk of intestinal perforation. Furthermore, research is ongoing to enable rapid assessment of a patient's condition during surgery through ultra-high-speed CT imaging.

Finally, if a metallic fragment remains in the body, it is crucial to undergo detailed examinations even if there are no symptoms. This is because fragments can slowly migrate within the body and cause life-threatening problems. Therefore, if pain or a foreign body sensation persists, it is essential to visit a medical institution for appropriate treatment.