We report the case of an unusual penetrating injury of the temporal region
of the head caused by knife. A long kitchen knife was protruding from. the
upper auricular area of the left temporal region of victim's head. It cut t
hrough the posterosuperior part of the left auricula and remained fixed to
the postauricular region. Brain computorized tomography (CT) scan revealed
that the knife had reached deep into the petrous part of the temporal bone,
and was directed toward the sulcus of the sigmoid sinus. There were no sig
ns of intracranial bleeding. An otorhinolaryngologist and a neurosurgeon re
moved the knife in operating room, with the patient in general anesthesia.
The audiogram obtained after 7 days of hospitalization showed left conducti
ve hearing loss of 40 dB at frequencies up to 2 kHz, and of 90 dB above 2 k
Hz, probably due to hemotympanum caused by the operation. Control examinati
ons performed 14 days and one month afterdischarge confirmed the patient's
complete recovery and no significant defects in his hearing or balance. We
suggest multidisciplinary teamwork as a proper approach in the treatment of
such injuries.