Diplegia due to transcranial knife-blade injury in a 20-month-old child

Abstract

Transcranial stab wounds are uncommon among both adults and adolescents and rarely occur in children, particularly when caused by another child. A 20-month-old girl was injured by a 3-year-old cousin, who introduced a knife blade into the brain through the left parietal region. The trajectory of the wound penetrated at least 5 cm, crossed the falx cerebri, and involved both motor cortical areas. The clinical sequela was a severe symmetric spastic diplegia.