Retained garden fork following cranial stab injury.

Retained garden fork is a rare complication of penetrating cranial trauma. Retained knife blade is the most commonly reported presentation. We report an unusual case of a 30-year-old male patient treated at our institution, who presented with a retained garden fork following a stab to the head, with no associated neurological deficits.

Spinal stab injury with retained knife blades: 51 Consecutive patients managed at a regional referral unit.

Background: Spinal stab wounds presenting with retained knife blades (RKB) are uncommon, often resulting in spinal cord injury (SCI) with catastrophic neurological consequences. The purpose of this study is to report a single unit's experience in management of this pattern of injury at this regional referral centre.

Methods: Retrospective review of medical records identified 51 consecutive patients with spinal stabs presenting with a RKB at the Neurosurgery Department at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital between January 2003 and February 2015.