A Case of Penetrating Head Wound Due to Helicopter Rotor Blade Injury in a 34-Year-Old Naval Helicopter Pilot Who Returned to Active Service 5 Years Later

Patient: Male, 34-year-old Final Diagnosis: Trauma Symptoms: Coma • fracture Medication: — Clinical Procedure: Crainotomy Specialty: Neurosurgery • Surgery OBJECTIVE: Unusual clinical course BACKGROUND: Head trauma, defined as damage to the brain, skull, or scalp when the head is hit by an external force, is a major cause of mortality in military personnel. Therefore, we report a novel case involving a naval helicopter pilot who sustained a helicopter propeller rotor blade injury. CASE REPORT: We describe a case involving a pilot struck on the head by a helicopter rotor blade. He received care from medical staff shortly after the injury and was en route to the nearest trauma center. Cranial computed tomography (CT) scans revealed a comminuted fracture of the right occipital bone, with bone fragment retention in the right cerebral hemispheres. We performed an emergency right occipital craniotomy. The visual field patterns demonstrated right homonymous hemianopia when the patient was discharged. The patient underwent delayed titanium mesh cranioplasty about 3 months after the right occipital craniotomy. From discharge to 5 years, the patient had performed rehabilitation exercise for at least 3 days every week. The patient’s continued recovery was confirmed at the 5-year follow-up in 2019. The bilateral visual acuity was 20/20, and the right homonymous hemianopia problem also disappeared. In the same year, after a physical and psychological assessment by an aviation doctor, he was able to resume flying. CONCLUSIONS: This report has shown that despite safety regulations for military and civilian helicopter personnel, which include the wearing of helmets, helicopter rotor blade injuries still occur and can have long-term consequences due to the severity of head injury.