Not-so-Minor Injuries: Delayed Diagnosis of a Large Splinter

Authors

1 General Surgery Department, Northwick Park Hospital, London, UK

2 Baylor Scott and White Memorial Hospital, Temple, Texas

10.5812/atr.33221

Abstract

Introduction
In contrast with victims of major trauma, patients who suffer minor injuries receive little specialist input. In most cases, this causes no difficulty, but there are situations where minor trauma results in persistent disability affecting the quality of life.


Case Presentation
A young man sustained a perineal puncture wound resulting from a fall onto a bush. Following an initial delay, he sought medical advice for a continual pain in his right leg, and a discharging perineal wound. A computed tomography (CT) scan and flexible sigmoidoscopy failed to identify the cause, and he was subsequently discharged from hospital. One year after his initial presentation, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan identified a retained foreign body consistent with a fragment of wood.


Conclusions
Penetrating trauma from wooden fragments provides a diagnostic challenge. A stubborn discharge from a wound must always raise the suspicion of retained fragment. Early and appropriate surgical exploration is imperative.

Keywords

References

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Archives of Trauma Research
Volume 6, Issue 1
January 2017
Pages 1-3

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