Foreign bodies should be carefully observed and removed.

Foreign Body Removal

Puncture wounds are relatively common but retained foreign bodies are not. If you have a wound that give off a foreign body penetration sensation, you should have it evaluated by a doctor. The pain caused by metal, wood or other materials is a signal to have it removed. When you visit a doctor, radiography may be used to located the area of puncture. If the puncture is caused by an organic substances, then your risk of infection increase greatly. Foreign bodies may be retained in the body through many mechanisms, including ingestion, placement in bodily orifices, and surgical errors.
Different Types of Foreign Bodies
Fishhooks
One of the most common way to obtain a puncture is through fishing. Fish hook puncture is problematic because the hook is designed to keep the fish on with a curved back barbed hook. Some fish hooks have multiple hooks, usually 3 or 6 on a single lure. When removing the hook, the doctor will most likely cut off the hook from the lure first to reduce the possibility of worsening the injury. When going fishing, the easiest place to get hooked by your friend or family is on the hand, scalp or foot. If the hook is on your eye or eyelid, you should seek emergency help..

Glass
Another common puncture wound is glass puncture. Accidentally stepping on a broken glass can cause a lot of pain. If you think you have a glass puncture, ask a doctor for an evaluation. Since most glass are transparent, you might not see it and write it off as an occasional minor pain. However, if the piece of glass is left inside for a prolong period of time, it can cause infection. If the glass puncture is large, similar to a knifed cut, do not remove on your own. Make sure you consult a doctor before taking any action.

Splinters
Everyone has gotten splinters before. Splinters are usually
from wood, thorns, or spines from plants but it can be from
plastic or glass. Wood and other organic material splinters
should be removed from wounds immediately because they
increase the chance of inflammation and risk of infection.

Other Punctures
Pencil lead or graphite foreign bodies can result in pigment tattooing and should be removed. Metal foreign bodies such as bullets or BB-gun bullets may be removed without difficulty if its far from tendons, nerves, or blood vessels.

If you are unsure about what to do with a foreign body puncture, give us a call or come on in. Dr. Paul has extensive experience on removing foreign bodies regardless of what it is.