Tangential low-velocity missile wound of the head with acute subdural hematoma: case report.

Tangential missile wounds of the head without skull fracture are a known entity. Usually, references in the literature indicate that this type of injury results from a high-velocity missile impact. We present a case of a tangential missile head wound caused by a low-velocity missile. As the range of fire was short, the quantity of energy that might be released could be equated with that released by a high-velocity missile fired from a much longer range. This possibility should be brought to the attention of clinicians as an essential element in this pre-treatment clinical evaluation. We propose a pathomechanical explanation for the development of the clinical state.