A serious injury underlying an underestimated small laceration of the hand

Abstract

In patients suffering from hand injuries, the most important diagnostic tools include patient history and physical examinations. Injuries of the hand caused by knives or drilling tools require careful attention because serious injuries can occur in the form of small skin incisions, depending on the distance and depth of the advance of the tool. Because stab wounds can appear minor superficially, whereas serious injuries can appear as small-access lacerations, the examining physician should be careful when evaluating wound severity. Here, we present a patient with an injury from a knife attack who was treated with an initial intervention that was insufficient to completely repair the injury. Upon initial examination, the only obvious sign of injury was a small laceration; however, the injury turned out to be much more serious in nature.