A Rare Presentation of Triplegia Resulting from Penetrating Brain Trauma by a Hand-Held Dagger

Abstract

Penetrating brain trauma is a devastating injury mode mostly seen in military settings. Its low-velocity counterpart resulting from objects such as knives, drills, daggers, etc. is relatively less common & rarely seen present mostly in isolated case reports. The neuropathological outcome can be disproportionately morbid in these cases with a varied clinical spectrum ranging from occult deficits to grave debilities reported. It is an anatomical insult whose course is free of clinical constraints & determined by the trajectory & velocity of the object. In this case report, an 18-year-old male ordeal is reported who suffered the injury from a hand-held dagger that involved both parietal cortices via midline traversing. GCS on presentation was 15/15 but the patient had triplegia in the form of paraplegia & contralateral upper limb monoplegia. The object was retrieved via craniectomy & cortectomy although no clinical recovery was seen post-up or on follow-up. It is a case intriguing & indicative of the unpredictable course of such injuries.