In stab injury of the back visceral or vascular injuries are more uncommon than anterior abdominal stab injuries. The authors report the case of a 52-year-old man who presented to the emergency center with glass fragments lodged in his back after falling on a glass door on his back. On a retroperitoneal computed tomography (CT) scan, two foreign bodies were detected in left paraspinal and psoas muscles. Furthermore, hematoma with active bleeding was seen in the retroperitoneal cavity. He was referred to a general surgeon for retroperitoneal active bleeding, but emergency laparotomy was not deemed necessary considering the patient's stable condition in terms of vital signs, the level of hemoglobin, and the amount of bleeding. Therefore, we performed conservative treatment, such as packed cell transfusion and back compression, after removing the glass fragment through the posterior approach. The paravertebral muscle was dissected through the open wound, the tip of the piece of glass was accessible. The piece of glass was carefully removed, and there was no active bleeding. The postoperative CT scan showed continued active bleeding and increased retroperitoneal hematoma, but the patient's vital signs were stable. Conservative treatment was administered continuously, a follow-up CT scan taken a month later showed hematoma resolution and no more dye leakage. If the patient's vital signs are stable and the patient is neurologically intact, conservative treatment may be prioritized without laparotomy.
Keywords: Penetrating injury; case report; foreign body; retroperitoneal hematoma; stab wound.