Soft Tissue Case 3 Background

No wound is too small or superficial to harbor a foreign body. Wood, glass, and metal are the most common wound foreign bodies (WFBs). Missed WFB is a leading cause of wound litigation (along with missed nerve or tendon injury and failure to properly treat an infection prone wound). There is significant morbidity associated with retained WFBs, such as infection, chronic pain, nerve compression, migration, draining wounds, and functional compromise, to name a few. 

It is the duty of the emergency physician to diagnose wound foreign bodies and determine the initial management, even if immediate removal is not indicated.