Al-Azhar Med. J. Vol. 46(1), January, 2017, 287-293 DOI: 10.12816/0035554 HOMICIDAL HEAD PENETRATING INJURY WITH SCREW DRIVER By Ashraf I. Hassan, Nagy M. Al- Fadaly , Essam S. M. Amer and Gamal El-Deen I.A. Biomy Department of Forensic Medicine and Clinical Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine Al-Azhar University ABSTRACT Background: Penetrating injury to the head, with the exception of missile injuries, is rare owing to thickness of skull bones. Orbital and temporal areas are comparatively vulnerable to penetrating injuries due to their relative thinness. Objective: We presented a case in which a man was killed by forcefully thrusting a screw driver through left temporal bone into his cranial cavity and injured the brain. Case presentation: We presented a case of a 44-year-old man who was stabbed with a screw driver in his head. The screw driver was seen embedded in his head. Plain radiography and computed tomography (CT) of the head were done to assess the extent of brain damage. Conclusion: In this study, we discussed the the peculiarity of this case which lays in the fact that screw driver as a stabbing weapon in the head is very rarely used. Skull bone, at site of injury, was very thin with less than 2 mm thickness and even transparent to light. This was unfortunate for both the assailant and the deceased. We also emphasized the indispensable role of imaging in the initial assessment of patients with head trauma. Key words: Skull injury, head injury, penetrating wound, screw driver. INTRODUCTION Nonmissile penetrating head injuries Penetrating head injuries are a kind of (NPHIs) in the civilian population are rare localized, depressed fractures which are but potentially fatal (Li et al., 2016). induced by pointed agents passing via Penetrating brain injury (PBI) may be both skull tables, the shape and size of caused by low-velocity or high-velocity which corresponds with the cross-section objects. Several objects are known to of the weapon. The most likely agents are cause such injury ranging from knives to daggers or knives. Cases are relatively rooster pecks (Das et al., 2015). rare. Usually, these injuries are not fatal. Penetrating head injury is a head injury If the weapon is withdrawn, it may not in which dura mater is breached. It can be leave obvious injury under hair cover. caused by high-velocity projectiles or Also, external injures are not comparable low-velocity as knives driven into the to severe internal injuries or complications brain. Low-velocity objects represent a (Polson et al., 1985). smaller fraction of penetrating head 287 288 ASHRAF I. HASSAN et al. injuries. The causes may be from knives, cascade similar to the course of cellular nails, spikes, forks, scissors etc. (Bodwal and metabolic events that follow other et al., 2013). head injuries may follow penetrating head Skull can be penetrated through its injuries (Blissitt, 2006). foramina and in areas where the bones are Penetrating head injuries due to the use thin. Orbit and temporal regions constitute of screwdrivers as wounding agents in areas of thin bone which can be penetrated acts of interpersonal violence seldom with relative ease (Oki et al., 2010). occur. The aim of this article was to Injuries to temporal bony areas are update and summarize the relevant more likely to result in major neurological literature on penetrating craniocerebral deficits because of the thinness of the screwdriver stab wounds and to report a temporal squama, and the shorter distance new case of screwdriver assault. to the deep brain stem and vascular CASE REPORT structures Most deaths from penetrating traumas are caused by blood vessels A 44-year-old man presented to damage which leads to hematoma, emergency department with penetrating ischemia and biochemical cascade called head injury with transfixing screw driver the ischemic cascade. A biochemical after being hit by it in a fight with his cascade with release of numerous colleague. CT brain scan of the head enzymes, phospholipids, glutamate revealed metallic object penetrating the calcium and free oxygen radicals left parieto-occipital region extending propagates further cell damage (Bodwal infro-obliquely with its distal tip in et al., 2013). cerebeller peduncle. Basal cistern was completely effaced indicating herniation, Penetrating screw driver wounds to the with bleeding in the third ventricle, left head are very unusual and are rarely cerebellum and brain stem, as well as, described in the literature. Here we brainstem shifting and ischemia. Surgical represent a case of homicidal penetrating removal of the screwdriver and suturing of head injury with screw driver, a low the external wound were done. The choice velocity injury to an abnormally thin of conservative treatment was taken as parietotemporal bone. In the instant case, Glasco coma score was 3/15 with dilated a screw driver was thrusted into the and fixed pupils. He finally died after 15 cranial cavity of the deceased. X-ray, CT days post-traumatically. scan, or MRI (MRI can only be used when the penetrating object would not be External examination revealed sutured magnetic, because MRI uses magnetism wound on the left side of the scalp above and could move the object, causing further the left ear auricle (Fig. 1). Also, there injury). Studies with positron emission was another wound on the top of scalp, tomography (PET) and transcranial healing abrasions on the left ear auricle doppler imaging have shown that changes and on the left side of the neck, and many in cerebral blood flow, such as hypo- other abrasions on different areas of the perfusion and vasospasm, can follow body (left upper scapular region, lateral penetrating head injury. An ischemic side of the left thigh, left knee and upper 289 HOMICIDAL HEAD PENETRATING INJURY WITH SCREW DRIVER right chest). It was noticed that the body lapsed time till autopsy was done. It was was in a decomposed state (greenish noted clearly that skull bone was very thin discoloration of abdomen). at site of injury of less than 2 mm thick, On dissection: There were 3 bruises and even transparent to light (Fig.3), under scalp indicating repeated hitting of which was unfortunate for both the the head with same weapon, but with only assailant and the deceased. There was no one penetrating injury at temporal area. need for extra-force to induce the fatal There was a hole with a bone fragment, injury!! In Fig. (4), computerized tomo- more or less of the same diameter of the graphy (CT) scan of the brain with screw screw driver with a similar circular tear of driver in situ was done. 3 dimensional the dura opposite to the hole (Fig.2). The multi detector computerized tomography brain was soft at the time of dissection as (M.D.CT) scan of skull with screw driver it was in a state of softening due to in situ was seen in (Fig.5). necrosis and decomposition because of Figure (1): Small Sutured wound on the Figure (2): A hole with a bone fragment, more or less of the left side of the scalp above the left ear same diameter of the screw driver, with a similar circular tear auricle. of the dura opposite to the hole. F igure (3): Skull bone was very thin at site Figure (4): CT of brain with screw driver in situ of injury of less than 2 mm thick and even transparent to light. 290 ASHRAF I. HASSAN et al. Figure (5): 3D M.D.CT of skull with screw driver in situ. DISCUSSION penetration of the cranium. A review of related cases across the world suggests a Cranium varies in thickness in adults small number of cases (around 19) of and varies from place to place, the more penetrating injuries to the head. Out of vulnerable thin areas lie in the parieto- these reported cases, 10 are homicidal, 3 temporal, lateral frontal and lateral are suicidal and the rest were accidental occipital zones, the thinnest in temporal (Bodwal et al., 2013). bone where it may be 4 mm thick. The thickness of the skull is sometimes an In our case, it was noted clearly that issue in courtroom, about the special skull bone was very thin at site of injury, vulnerability of a victim (Pekka and less than 2 mm thick and even transparent Knight, 2015). to light, which was unfortunate for both the assailant and the deceased. There was Skull bones and overlying muscles no need for extra-force to induce the fatal provide reasonable protection to the injury!! This peculiar thinning of temporal delicate brain tissue. Low-velocity bone is an issue that must be taken into penetrating wounds of the brain are consideration by the judge in the uncommon as the skull and its coverings courtroom. usually provide an effective protective barrier. However, skull can be penetrated Pavlidis et al. (2016) reviewed a through its foramina and in areas where number of studies to investigate the the bones are thin. Orbit and temporal incidence, distribution, common findings, regions constitute areas of thin bone mechanism of injury, differential diagnos- which can be penetrated with relative tic criteria, complications, treatment, and ease. Various stabbing objects such as prognosis of craniocerebral screw driver long pointed objects or knives have been stab injuries. It was observed that the implicated in penetrating trauma to the degree of traumatic severity depends on skull responsible for homicidal, accidental the cross sectional area of the screw driver and suicidal deaths resulting from the and the anatomical region of injury. 291 HOMICIDAL HEAD PENETRATING INJURY WITH SCREW DRIVER Cranio-cerebral screw driver injuries were effective penetration is that the head of the mainly cases of interpersonal violence victim must be in a ?xed position with a mortality rate of approximately (Bodwal et al., 2013).