Stress-Induced Auto-Cannibalism in Patients With a History of Moderate Traumatic Brain Injury.

Abstract

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a significant factor in injury-related deaths in the United States and may lead to complex psychological disorders. Auto-cannibalism as a sequela of a TBI has yet to be reported in the literature. The current literature regarding such behavior is often associated with psychosis, intellectual disability, or substance use. A 35-year-old male had a past medical history significant for a TBI a decade ago. He was transferred to the emergency department due to a self-inflicted wound. The patient had been scratching his arms and legs for the last few months and displayed an intense new pattern of self-destructive behavior in the past week. He went through surgical wound debridement and psychiatric evaluation before he was discharged home. This case depicts the importance of regular, long-term psychiatric, and neurological follow-up for patients sustaining TBIs, regardless of whether or not they were previously deemed stable. A greater understanding of many factors leading to self-destructive behavior following TBIs is needed to improve patient outcomes.

• Authors: Gregory Fenati, Santana Youssoffi, Dustin Phan, Katharine McManus, Fanglong Dong, Michael M Neeki
• Journal: Cureus (Cureus) Vol. 15 Issue 6 Pg. e41232 (Jun 2023) ISSN: 2168-8184 [Print] United States
• PMID: 37529515 (Publication Type: Case Reports)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2023, Fenati et al.