title: Injury caused by deeply penetrating knife blade lodged in infratemporal fossa.
abstract: Knife-inflicted, deeply penetrating head and neck trauma is an uncommon life-threatening injury and a challenging problem. An examination of the neurovascular and systemic physical status is a first requirement and the decision as to which approach to adopt for the removal of the blade is of critical importance. Here we report a rare case of a pre-auricular stab wound with the knife blade deeply lodged in the extracranial infratemporal fossa. Radiological investigations showed that the knife blade had entered from the temporomandibular joint and become lodged through the anterior margin of foremen magnum below the petrosal bone. Minimal left vocal cord paresis, left palatal weakness and a slight deviation of the tongue towards the left side were observed. The other neurological and systemic physical evaluations were normal. Simple withdrawal of the blade in the operating room did not cause serious neurovascular injury. Here we discuss and compare the expanded exposure of anatomical structures for blade removal and simple withdrawal in similar injuries.
authors: Neurosurgery Department, Medical Faculty of Osmangazi University, Eskisehir, Turkey. ecosan@ogu.edu.tr
authors: T E
authors: TE
authors: Cosan
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Arslantas
authors: A I
authors: AI
authors: Guner
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Vural
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Kaya
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Tel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005539:Foramen Magnum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013699:Temporal Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D013704:Temporomandibular Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014951:Wounds, Stab / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*