• F Tancioni, P Gaetani, R Pugliese, and R Rodriguez y Baena.
• Department of Surgery, Neurosurgery, IRCCS Policlinico S. Matteo, University of Pavia, Italy.
• J Neurosurg Sci. 1994 Dec 1;38(4):239-43.

AbstractPenetrating cranio-cerebral trauma caused by fire-arm constitute the most frequent penetrating wounds in civilian ambit; in these cases the great extention of cerebral damage is the result of distructive forces generated by high velocity which moves this bodies. In civilian ambit cranio-cerebral wounds caused by penetrating bodies, but moved by low cinetic energy are increasing constantly, due to the development of industrial activities. The cases reported in literature are few; in the present paper we present the case of a cranio-cerebral wound caused by a nail, which is the longest nail ever reported in literature (9 cm). Cranio-cerebral penetrating wounds caused by nail are reported only as curious experience; none authors tried to standard the medical-surgical approach as for what concern the clinic valutation, as for treatment. We think that for these traumatic event, we can adapt the same valutations criteria used for wounds caused by fire-arms. For what concerns surgery of such injuries, we consider the emergency operation the best solution; generally in these cases the purpose of surgery is not the removal of devitalized tissues, evacuation of hematomas or removal of bone fragments or of penetrating bodies as happen in cases of penetrating bodies moved by high cinetic energy, but for the possible complications which can result immediately or after the trauma.

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