[Penetrating head injury caused by an icepick]

The patient was a 39-year-old man, with a three year history of schizophrenia, who attempted suicide by piercing his head with an icepick. Spinal cord injuries and shock caused by falling from the fifth floor of the building following this penetrating injury were also noted on admission. The CT scan revealed that the icepick had deeply penetrated the posterior fossa from the forehead. No new neurological deficits or cerebrospinal fluid leakage appeared after admission. The icepick was removed completely without difficulty. In penetrating head injuries, early assessment with cerebral angiography to determine the extent of vascular injury is useful for deciding if surgery should be performed.