knife wound

A stab wound is a specific form of penetrating trauma to the skin that results from a knife or a similar pointed object that is "deeper than it is wide". While typically stab wounds are thought only to be caused only by knives, they can also occur from ice picks, pens, broken bottles, and even coat hangers. Most stabbings occur because of intentional violence or through self infliction. 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 gun shot wounds, they account for less than 10% of all penetrating trauma deaths.