title: Penetrating craniocerebral injury from an underwater fishing harpoon.
abstract: Weapon injuries other than gunshot wounds or low-velocity stab wounds to the head are extremely rare. We report the case of a 6-year-old girl who sustained a penetrating craniocerebral injury after being accidentally shot with an underwater fishing harpoon. This mechanism of injury seems to share characteristics of both high- and low-velocity projectiles. We discuss the management of this unusual injury in a child, remarking that foreign body removal in these cases must be carried out following the original direction of the projectile trajectory. We review the current literature on craniocerebral injuries caused by similar objects, especially those occurring in children.
authors.affiliation: Section of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, E-30120 Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: López
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Martínez-Lage
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Herrera
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Solís
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Palacios
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Poza
mesh_terms: D001479:Basal Ganglia / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D003399:Craniotomy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D020197:Head Injuries, Penetrating / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed