[Increased number of knife assaults inspite of the legislation. Record of injuries among 399 patients].

From January 1985 to September 1993, 399 patients (368 men and 31 women), median age 28 years (mean 31.1, range 16-71 years), were admitted with stab wounds due to assault. The number of stab wounds per patient was one (N = 268 patients), two (N = 63), three (N = 31), four (N = 15), five (N = 7), or more than five (N = 15). The series as whole (N = 399) accounted for 543 sites of injury. Upper extremity wounds were the most frequent (35 per cent); of 188 arm injuries, 60 per cent were in the left arm. The next most frequent site was the head and neck region (N = 105; 12 per cent), followed by the chest (N = 75; 14 per cent), abdomen (N = 66;12 per cent), lower extremities (N = 59;11 per cent), back (N = 48;9 per cent), and the male genitalia (N = 2;0.4 per cent). Ninety-five major operations were performed in 74 patients. Seven patients died, and 40 had somatic or cosmetic life-time sequelae.