Citation

Pavlidis P, Karakasi MV, Birbilis TA. Am. J. Forensic Med. Pathol. 2016; 37(4): 291-298.

Affiliation

From the *Laboratory of Forensic Sciences, School of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace; and †Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Dragana, Alexandroupolis, Evros Prefecture, Greece.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/PAF.0000000000000267

PMID

27571172

Abstract

Penetrating head injuries due to the use of screwdrivers as wounding agents in acts of interpersonal violence seldom occur. The aim of this article is to update and summarize the relevant literature on penetrating craniocerebral screwdriver stab wounds and to report a new case of screwdriver assault. A number of studies were reviewed to investigate the incidence, distribution, common findings, mechanism of injury, differential diagnostic criteria, complications, treatment, and prognosis of craniocerebral screwdriver stab injuries. It was observed that the degree of traumatic severity depends on the cross-sectional area of the screwdriver and the anatomical region of injury. Craniocerebral screwdriver injuries are mainly cases of interpersonal violence and the mortality rate is approximately 47.6%. In 23.8% of the incidents, the trauma is overlooked on admission because of the small entry wound and, thus, the severity of the injury is not initially appreciated.

Language: en