A Bull Gore Penetrating Injury to the Neck Presenting With Esophageal Perforation: A Case Report

Bull gore injuries are not uncommon in regions where bulls are commonly used for agriculture or as part of sporting culture. Most bull gore injuries occur in the trunk and extremities. Cervical bull gore injury might be due to penetrating or blunt trauma. In the neck, it may injure vital structures such as the trachea, esophagus, and carotid artery. Traumatic cervical esophageal injury is a rare entity. Prompt diagnosis and early intervention are essential for better outcomes. Delayed diagnosis (>24 hours) is associated with a mortality of 40-66%. Here, we report a case of a bull gore injury to the neck where the patient presented to our trauma bay after seven days. On evaluation, he was diagnosed with cervical esophageal injury and treated with primary repair of the esophagus over a T-tube and a feeding jejunostomy. He recovered well and was doing well on follow-up.