foreign bodies (hand)
Last reviewed 01/2018
Foreign bodies within the hand may be the focus of recurrent abscesses. If the initial injury has been forgotten, a recurrently swollen and painful hand must make the clinician think of this differential.
Foreign bodies can be divided into two groups:
- non-irritant e.g. sterile broken needles, glass and steel; fibrous tissue tends to encapsulate the object which often gives no clinical sequel
- irritant e.g. non-sterile wood, teeth, thorns
Removal may be undertaken by surgical exploration. Identification of the foreign body's position may require X-rays in two planes with surface radio-opaque markers for localisation. Alternatively, radiographic screening with on-table fluroscopy is used.
Broad spectrum antibiotic prophylaxis is recommended.