Arrowhead Injury of Central Nervous System: Three Rare Cases from Rural India

Abstract

AbstractA penetrating central nervous system (CNS) injury on account of an arrowhead is a rarity in the modern era. When managing such cases surgically, special care is taken to prevent injury to the neurovascular structures lying in the vicinity of the wound. Fired arrows are categorized as low-velocity missiles, but the size, shape and aerodynamic stability of the missile are also important factors in establishing the complexity of the wound. We present three such cases of penetrating injury of the CNS by fired arrows, two injuring the head and the third injuring the spinal cord. The arrowheads were successfully retrieved without any complications. Salient features to be taken care of while managing such patients have also been also discussed.