Stab wound | |
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An 1833 depiction of Jereboam O. Beauchamp stabbing Solomon P. Sharp. | |
Specialty | Emergency medicine |
A stab wound is a specific form of penetrating trauma to the skin that results from a knife or a similar pointed object.[1][2][3][4] While stab wounds are typically known to be caused by knives, they can also occur from a variety of implements, including broken bottles and ice picks. Most stabbings occur because of intentional violence or through self-infliction.[5] The treatment is dependent on many different variables such as the anatomical location and the severity of the injury. Even though stab wounds are inflicted at a much greater rate than gunshot wounds, they account for less than 10% of all penetrating trauma deaths.[citation needed]