Soft tissue foreign bodies represent a common cause for emergency department visits. Diagnosis may be difficult especially with non-radiopaque foreign bodies. Undetected wooden foreign bodies can cause significant morbidity, repeat visits, high cost, and extensive surgery. We report a case in which ultrasound was used in the Emergency Department to detect and remove wooden foreign bodies from the soft tissue. Ultrasound and other imaging modalities that may aid in the early diagnosis are discussed.
LammersR.L., MagillT.Detection and management of foreign bodies in soft tissue.Emerg Med Clin North Am1992; 10(4): 767–81.
2.
YanayO., VaughanD.J., DiabM., BrownsteinD., BroganT.V.Retained wooden foreign body in a child's thigh complicated by severe necrotizing fasciitis: a case report and discussion of imaging modalities for early diagnosis.Pediatr Emerg Care2001; 17(5): 354–5.
3.
DavaeK.C., SofkaC.M., DiCarloE., AdlerR.S.Value of power Doppler imaging and the hypoechoic halo in the sonographic detection of foreign bodies: correlation with histopathologic findings.J Ultrasound Med2003; 22(12): 1309–16.
4.
GwynneA., BarberP., TavenerF.A review of 105 negligence claims against accident and emergency departments.J Accid Emerg Med1997; 14(4): 243–5.
5.
DunnJ.D.Risk management in emergency medicine.Emerg Med Clin North Am1987; 5(1): 51–69.
6.
SchlagerD., SandersA.B., WigginsD., BorenW.Ultrasound for the detection of foreign bodies.Ann Emerg Med1991; 20(2): 189–91.
7.
AndersonM.A., NewmeyerW.L.3rd, KilgoreE.S.JrDiagnosis and treatment of retained foreign bodies in the hand.Am J Surg1982; 144(1): 63–7.
8.
JacobsonJ.A., PowellA., CraigJ.G., BouffardJ.A., van HolsbeeckM.T.Wooden foreign bodies in soft tissue: detection at US.Radiology1998; 206(1): 45–8.
9.
MantheyD.E., StorrowA.B., MilbournJ.M., WagnerB.J.Ultrasound versus radiography in the detection of soft-tissue foreign bodies.Ann Emerg Med1996; 28(1): 7–9.
10.
DonaldsonJ.S.Radiographic imaging of foreign bodies in the hand.Hand Clin1991; 7(1): 125–34.
11.
MorganW.J., LeopoldT., EvansR.Foreign bodies in the hand.J Hand Surg [Br]1984; 9(2): 194–6.
12.
RockettM.S., GentileS.C., GudasC.J., BrageM.E., ZygmuntK.H.The use of ultrasonography for the detection of retained wooden foreign bodies in the foot.J Foot Ankle Surg1995; 34(5): 478–84.
13.
MizelM.S., SteinmetzN.D., TrepmanE.Detection of wooden foreign bodies in muscle tissue: experimental comparison of computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and ultrasonography.Foot Ankle Int1994; 15(8): 437–43.
14.
GrahamD.D.JrUltrasound in the emergency department: detection of wooden foreign bodies in the soft tissues.J Emerg Med2002; 22(1): 75–9.
15.
Al-ZahraniS., KremliM., SaadeddinM., IkramA.Ultrasonography detection of radiolucent foreign bodies in soft tissue compared to computed tomography scan.Ann Saudi Med1995; 15(2): 110–2.
16.
GilbertF.J., CampbellR.S., BaylissA.P.The role of ultrasound in the detection of non-radiopaque foreign bodies.Clin Radiol1990; 41(2): 109–12.
17.
SchlagerD., SandersA.B., WigginsD., BorenW.Ultrasound for the detection of foreign bodies.Ann Emerg Med1991; 20(2): 189–91.
18.
OrlinskyM., KnittelP., FeitT., ChanL., MandaviaD.The comparative accuracy of radiolucent foreign body detection using ultrasonography.Am J Emerg Med2000; 18(4): 401–3.
19.
HillR., ConronR., GreissingerP., HellerM.Ultrasound for the detection of foreign bodies in human tissue.Ann Emerg Med1997; 29(3): 353–6.
De FlaviisL., ScaglioneP., Del BoP., NessiR.Detection of foreign bodies in soft tissues: experimental comparison of ultrasonography and xeroradiography.J Trauma1988; 28(3): 400–4.
22.
ShielsW.E.2nd, BabcockD.S., WilsonJ.L., BurchR.A.Localization and guided removal of soft-tissue foreign bodies with sonography.AJR Am J Roentgenol1990; 155(6): 1277–81.
