Suicide-related perforating injury of globe with nail gun.
A case is reported of nail gun injury due to suicide attempt involving both orbits, frontal lobe and abdomen, which resulted in an unusual posterior perforation of the left globe. Injury was inflicted with a total of eight nails. Three nails entered the left orbit, one of which perforated the posterior aspect of the left globe. One nail entered the right orbit involving the optic nerve and crossed the midline to finish in the left sphenoid sinus. Three nails entered the frontal lobe near the midline and the final nail pierced the left lobe of the liver. The left eye underwent primary repair, lensectomy and vitrectomy with silicone oil and achieved a visual acuity of 6/60, 3 months post removal of oil with sutured posterior chamber intraocular lens. The right eye suffered traumatic optic neuropathy and currently has a visual acuity of 6/36 due to senile cataract formation. No other serious sequelae resulted from the other injuries and the patient has recovered from his episode of depression.
Rofail
Marc
M
City Eye Centre, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. nmrofail@ihug.com.au
Lee
Lawrence R
LR
Lee
Graham A
GA
Todd
Brian
B
D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000209:etiology; D003252:Construction Materials / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005129:Eye Foreign Bodies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D015807:Eye Injuries, Penetrating / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000293:injuries; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000293:injuries; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009915:Orbit / Q000293:injuries*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014792:Visual Acuity