Retained knife blades in stab wounds of the face: is simple withdrawal safe?

A retained knife blade following a stab wound to the face is an uncommon injury that may give anxiety to the doctor managing the case. In 11 patients presenting with retained blades, simple withdrawal was associated with no untoward effect. In two patients the blade was not visible from the outside. The authors recommend that patients presenting with stab wound of the face are radiographed before discharge.