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Related Experiment Videos

Retained foreign body: a fingernail fragment?

C K Brown1, S L Wooten, L K Fair

  • 1Department of Emergency Medicine, East Carolina University School of Medicine, Greenville, NC 27858.

The Journal of Emergency Medicine
|May 1, 1993
PubMed
Summary

A fingernail fragment, a rare foreign body, was found embedded in a patient's fingerpad four months after an occupational injury. Prompt wound exploration is crucial for detecting such difficult-to-visualize foreign bodies to prevent complications.

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Area of Science:

  • Emergency Medicine
  • Trauma Surgery
  • Radiology

Background:

  • Foreign bodies are frequently encountered in emergency medicine settings.
  • Failure to identify and remove foreign bodies can lead to significant patient morbidity.
  • Nail fragments represent a unique and often overlooked type of foreign body.

Observation:

  • A 19-year-old female presented with a four-month history of pain following an occupational injury.
  • Physical examination revealed a large fingernail fragment embedded within the fingerpad.
  • Standard imaging techniques failed to visualize the radiolucent foreign body.

Findings:

  • A fingernail fragment was successfully localized and removed.
  • Radiolucent foreign bodies can sometimes be inferred from secondary bony changes.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Thorough patient history and meticulous wound exploration are paramount for diagnosis.

    • Implications:

    • This case highlights the importance of considering unusual foreign bodies in penetrating hand injuries.
    • Adequate wound examination, including the use of digital tourniquets, improves foreign body detection rates.
    • Early and complete removal of foreign bodies is essential to prevent infection and long-term complications.