Penetrating Stab Wounds of the Spine: Two Cases and Review of the Literature

Penetrating wounds of the spine caused by edged weapons are on the increase due to the growing insecurity, violence, availability and accessibility of these weapons, which are generally objects of everyday use (knife, axe, machete, screwdriver, bicycle spoke, scissors, garden fork, sickle and sharpened broom handle, etc.). These objects may be the cause of penetrating wounds responsible for neurological deficits with breaches of the dura mater, or they may be without neurological deficits due to the level of the weapon in the spine. We present two clinical cases of patients with penetrating knife wounds of the spine. One at cervical level with pneumorrhagic emphysema, spinal cord compression and pneunemoencephaly, with neurological deficit who had a surgicalintervention followed by physiotherapy and a progressive recovery, the other with a penetrating wound at L5 crossing the blade to the vertebral body without neurological deficit in whom the knife was extracted at the emergency department without secondarydeficit. Penetrating wounds of the spine are caused by stab wounds, including knives. In particular, emphysema, diffuse pneumorrhagia and pneumoencephalus are extremely rare in the same patient, this being due to the knife extraction technique. These lesions, associated with neurological deficit and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage, constitute a neurosurgical emergency.

Prophylaxis with melatonin for primary stabbing headache in pediatrics: a case report / Profilaxis con melatonina para cefalea punzante primaria en pediatría: reporte de caso

Abstract Introduction: Primary stabbing headache (or "ice pick headache") is an alteration characterized by brief jabs (short stabs of pain, lasting ~3 seconds), which appear spontaneously, irregularly, and affecting unilaterally or bilaterally. Indomethacin has traditionally been used as the main therapeutic option. However, this drug is ineffective in a considerable percentage of patients and can generate multiple adverse effects that occur at therapeutic doses. Clinical case: A 7-year-old male patient with primary stabbing headache of mild to moderate intensity, lasting 3 to 4 seconds, without relevant history, with normal neurodevelopment, neurological examination and neuroimaging; no triggers were identified. It was started therapeutic trial with Coenzyme Q10; however, no improvement in the symptoms was identified. Treatment and outcomes: A therapeutic management was carried out with Melatonin, which led to complete remission of the symptoms; without adverse effects in the posterior follow-up months. Clinical and scientific relevance: There is little information regarding effective and safe treatments for primary stabbing headache in children. The present case identifies Melatonin as an innovative, effective and safe therapeutic alternative in the treatment of primary stabbing headache in children. This is a significant advance in the understanding of primary stabbing headache in the pediatric population. Conclusion: Melatonin may be an effective and safe therapeutic option for the treatment of primary stabbing headache in pediatric patients. It is necessary to deepen its research, in order to establish its use in a clinical practice guide.

Resumen Introducción: La cefalea punzante primaria, es una alteración que se caracteriza por punzadas breves (∼3 segundos), que aparecen espontáneamente, de forma irregular y afectación unilateral o bilateral. Tradicionalmente se ha utilizado Indometacina como opción terapéutica principal. Sin embargo, este medicamento es inefectivo en un porcentaje considerable de pacientes y puede generar múltiples efectos adversos que se presentan a dosis terapéuticas. Caso clínico: Paciente masculino de 7 años de edad con cefalea punzante primaria de intensidad leve a moderada con una duración entre 3 y 4 segundos sin antecedentes relevantes, con neurodesarrollo, examen neurológico y de neuroimagen normales; no se identificaron desencadenantes. Se inició prueba terapéutica con Coenzima Q10, sin embargo no se identificó mejoría en los síntomas. Tratamiento y resultados: Se realizó un manejo terapéutico con Melatonina que conllevó a remisión completa de la sintomatología y sin efectos adversos en los meses posteriores de seguimiento. Relevancia clínica y científica: Existe poca información respecto a tratamientos efectivos y seguros para cefalea punzante primaria en niños. El presente caso identifica la Melatonina como una alternativa terapéutica innovadora, efectiva y segura en el tratamiento de la cefalea punzante primaria en niños. Lo anterior constituye un avance significativo en la comprensión de la cefalea punzante primaria en la población pediátrica. Conclusión: La melatonina puede ser una opción terapéutica efectiva y segura para el tratamiento de la cefalea punzante primaria en pacientes pediátricos. Se requiere ahondar en su investigación para establecer su uso en una guía de práctica clínica.

Hazards of needle stabbing for medical staff and protective measures / 中华医学教育探索杂志

Analysis main reasonsof needle stabbing are poor self-protection awareness,unsound health care management system and dangerous behavior and habits.Therefore,medical staffshould strengthen safety education,arouse consciousness of self protection,improve working environment and do proper treatment after needle stabbing to avoid needle injury and safeguard their own health.

Incidentally Discovered a Self-Inflicted a Nail in the Brain of Schizophrenia Patient

The self-infliction of foreign bodies into the brain represents rare a clinical phenomenon that has been reported primarily in cases involving accidents and suicide attempts. However, various motivations for self-injurious behaviors as well as suicide attempts have been reported, especially in patients with psychotic illnesses. A 47-year-old man with a history of schizophrenia presented to our hospital due to the presence of a nail on his plain skull X-ray. He diagnosed paranoid type of schizophrenia about 17 years earlier, and his psychiatric symptoms were well controlled by medication. Interestingly, he was not aware of the presence of the nail in his brain and showed no neurological deficits. In the course of detailed history taking, we discovered that the nail was driven into his brain during a hallucinatory experience that had occurred more than 10 years earlier. Because we believed that removing the nail from his brain would be more dangerous than maintaining the status quo, the nail was not removed. This is a very rare case of a self-inflicted injury involving inserting a nail into the brain under the influence of hallucinations. The absence of adverse effects or neurological symptoms/signs related to the presence of a foreign metallic body in the brain for over 10 years is exceptional.

Botulinum neurotoxin type-A for primary stabbing headache: an open study / Toxina botulínica do tipo-A para o tratamento da cefaléia primária em punhaladas: um estudo aberto

Primary stabbing headache is an ultra-short headache, associated with primary headaches, more prevalent in women and with a poor response to therapy. The effect of botulinum neurotoxin type-A (BoNTA) on primary stabbing headache was investigated in 24 patients. Three patients showed complete remission. Nineteen patients showed a decrease in their primary stabbing headaches that started in the second week, and that was sustained during approximately 63 days. In two patients BoNTA showed no therapeutic effect. The BoNTA seems to be an excellent therapeutic option for primary stabbing headache.

Cefaléia primária em punhaladas (CPP) é uma cefaléia ultra-rápida, associada a cefaléias primárias, mais frequente em mulheres e com discreta resposta terapêutica. O efeito da neurotoxina botulínica do tipo A (NTBo-A) sobre a CPP foi investigado em 24 pacientes. Três pacientes apresentaram completa remissão dos sintomas. Dezenove pacientes mostraram uma redução que começou na segunda semana e que manteve-se por um período de 63 dias. Em dois pacientes a NTBo-A não apresentou nenhum efeito terapêutico. A NTBo-A parece ser uma excelente opção terapêutica no tratamento da CPP.

Paroxysmal Stabbing Headache in the Retroauricular Regions

BACKGROUND: Paroxysmal stabbing or ice pick-like headaches located in the extratrigeminal areas are not uncommon in clinical practice. However, clinical characteristics of acute stabbing headaches initially presented in the retroauricular regions have rarely been described in detail. METHODS: Among the subjects referred to Hallym University Medical Center, due to the acute-onset stabbing headache during the last five years, sixty-six consecutive patients in which stabbing symptoms were confined to the retroauricular regions at initial presentation were prospectively included. RESULTS: All patients were neurologically and otologically considered to be normal at the initial presentation. The nature of pain lasted for short intervals of time, and were moderate to severe in intensity for most patients. All but five ran a self-limited benign course, recovering completely in 3 days to 30 days, mostly within 2 weeks. During the clinical course, subsequent Bell's palsy developed in 2 patients, and otic or cervical zoster lesions followed in three cases. Those among the 61 subjects with unknown etiology, the headaches were preceded by flu-like symptoms or upper respiratory tract infections in 21 subjects (34%) and physical, mental or both kinds of stresses were reported in 15 subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Most of paroxysmal stabbing headaches confined to the retroauricular regions are very short-lasting in nature, and show self-limiting and benign course, suggesting lesser occipital neuralgia or a variant of primary stabbing headache involving cervical nerves. However, the possibility of subsequent zoster infection or peripheral type of facial palsy should be considered, even though neurologically not remarkable at initial presentation.