[Presence of foreign body in hand and foot, diagnosed too late]

On the basis of 7 years' material, the distribution of 73 foreign bodies - of non-metallic intensity - in the hand and the foot is discussed. The foreign bodies did not appear as new, fresh lesions, but they have been diagnosed after longer or shorter symptom-free state. In the case of fistulous process immediate removal has been performed, and in the case of closed cases - on the basis of the clinical picture - immediate removal - or removal after fixation for a few days was effective. In the author's opinion, fixation is - so long as acute symptoms are present - in all cases indispensable, - fixation is immediately followed by physicotherapy, in order to assure good functional results.