Introduction:
Penetrating thoracoabdominal injuries are potentially life threatening due to the associated hemorrhagic shock and visceral injury. Through and through penetrating injury with polytrauma is rarely encountered.
Case presentation:
Here we report on a 25-year-old male with penetrating thoracoabdominal injury caused by a metallic (iron) bar projecting from a pillar of a construction site after he fell down from a height.
Conclusions:
Anesthetic and surgical management was difficult due to the inability to position in supine and rapidly progressing hemorrhagic shock. Surgical management for extraction of this iron bar and intensive monitoring and resuscitation resulted in an uneventful successful outcome.