title: Retained garden fork following cranial stab injury.
abstract: Retained garden fork is a rare complication of penetrating cranial trauma. Retained knife blade is the most commonly reported presentation. We report an unusual case of a 30-year-old male patient treated at our institution, who presented with a retained garden fork following a stab to the head, with no associated neurological deficits. Computerized tomographic scan of the brain was performed preoperatively to assess the trajectory of the weapon and parenchymal injury. A craniectomy was performed to facilitate removal of the weapon in the operating theatre under general anaesthesia. Intravenous prophylactic antibiotics were administered pre- and postoperatively to prevent septic complications. The patient recovered well and was discharged home.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital, Durban, South Africa Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.
authors.forename: Sonwabile
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gonya
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital, Durban, South Africa Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.
authors.forename: Andile
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mbatha
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital, Durban, South Africa Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.
authors.forename: Nondabula
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Moyeni
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital, Durban, South Africa Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa basilenicker@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Basil
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Enicker