title: Post-traumatic cerebral infarction following low-energy penetrating craniocerebral injury caused by a nail.
abstract: Post-traumatic cerebral infarction (PTCI) is a secondary insult which causes global cerebral hypoxia or hypoperfusion after traumatic brain injury, and carries a remarkable high mortality rate. PTCI is usually caused by blunt brain injury with gross hematoma and/or brain herniation. Herein, we present the case of a 91-year-old male who had sustained PTCI following a low-energy penetrating craniocerebral injury due to a nail without evidence of hematoma. The patient survived after a decompressive craniectomy, but permanent neurological damage occurred. This is the first case of profound PTCI following a low-energy penetrating craniocerebral nail injury and reminds clinicians of possibility this rare dreadful complication for care of head-injured patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Po-Chuan
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shih-Hung
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yu-Long
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wen-I
authors.initials: WI
authors.lastname: Liao
keywords: Brain edema; Decompressive craniectomy; Nail injury; Penetrating craniocerebral injury; Post-traumatic cerebral infarction