TRAUMATIC BASO-BRAIN-STEM SUBARACHNOID HEMORRHAGE

Traumatic basal subarachnoid haemorrhage is an uncommon disorder that is well described in the forensic literature. The aetiology traditiona lly has been a relatively minor blunt trauma which is sustained typica lly at the level of the base of head and injures the arterial system t o the brain. The site of trauma may be occult and not always demonstra ble. In the case discussed, an acute baso-brainstem subarachnoid haemo rrhage was caused by a severed extracranial vertebral artery due to a stabwound injury to the upper neck. A gravitational factor and alcohol intoxication, which might contribute to the basal intracranial haemat oma, is given a novel thought.