Pattern and Outcome of Stab Injuries in a Tertiary Hospital in Nigeria

Stab injury is a variant of penetrating injury which can occur on any part of the body.

To determine the pattern, clinical features, treatment, and outcome of stab injuries.

This was a retrospective descriptive study of patients with stab injuries carried out over 19-month period, from November 2018 to May 2020 at the Accident and Emergency Department of Universityof Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria. The case files of all patients with stab injuries were retrieved from the Medical Records Department. Information obtained included age, sex, gender, injury to arrival time, time of the day that stab occurred, body region involved, type of weapon used, injury sustained, reason for the stab, symptoms and signs, treatment, duration of hospital stay and outcome.

A total of 29 patients had stab injuries. There were 27 males and two females with a male to female ratio of approximately 13.5: 1. The age range was 17-59 years. The mean age was 31 ± 10 years. Most stabs occurred in the third decade with chest being the most common body region. Conflict/fight was the most common reason for stab with broken bottle being the most common weapon. The average duration of hospital stay was 6 ± 3.99 days. There was no mortality.

Stab injuries occur predominantly in the males in their third decade of life resulting from conflict/fight with broken bottle being the most common weapon. The chest was the most involved body region. The outcome following treatment was good with no mortality.