Different Patterns in Abdominal Stab Wound in the Self-Inflicted and Assaulted Patients: An Observational Analysis of Single Center Experience

Patterns of penetrating abdominal stab wounds (ASW) may be different according to the mechanism of injury. The purpose of this study was to review and characterize penetrating abdominal stab wounds in self-inflicted wound patients and assaulted patients. We retrospectively analyzed patients with ASW who were admitted to our emergency department from 2007 to 2015. The patients were divided into two groups: self-inflicted wound group and assaulted group. There were 46 stabbing cases in 45 different patients (25 males, 21 females; average age 47 y, range 21 to 85 y). Thirty-three patients were in the self-inflicted wound group and 13 patients were in the assaulted group. Although injury sites were concentrated around the periumbilical and epigastric regions in the self-inflicted wound group, the left lateral abdomen was a favorite site in the assaulted group. The peritoneum was violated in the 17 patients in the self-inflicted wound group and 11 patients in the assaulted group. Both the self-inflicted wound group and assaulted group included patients with previous psychological disorders (28 and 5 patients, respectively). The mean Revised Trauma Score, Probability of Survival, Injury Severity Score and the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores were not significantly different between the groups although the Injury Severity Score tended to be higher in the assaulted group. The rate of the peritoneal violation was significantly higher in the assaulted group than in the self-inflicted wound group. We also should be aware of more likelihood of patients with psychological disorders among those with assault wounds.