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or have diabetes, or have wounds that are longer, wider, more jagged or deeper, have a much higher risk of infection. Simply the easiest way to avoid infection is to completely remove the splinters or foreign body as soon as possible. Though infection is generally the largest complication encountered with splinters, ranging from 1.1 to 12 percent presence, the use of antibiotics in non-bite cases is generally deemed unnecessary by the medical community. Though cases are rare, infection of foreign body wounds can result in cases of tetanus.
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with active purulent drainage. The woman was diagnosed with tetanus, admitted to the hospital, and begun on a regimen of 3,000 units of tetanus immune globulin, tetanus toxoid, and intravenous clindamycin. Despite aggressive treatment, including assisted mechanical ventilation, the patient died 15 days later from the effects of her primary infection. The woman had no history of previous tetanus vaccinations despite previous care for a wound and ongoing medical attention for hypertension.
40:
620:(in the shape of an upside-down cone) and the whole chunk of flesh containing the splinter is removed. The Needle Cover Technique is limited to fishhook removal. A string is looped around the base of the hook, and as the hook is pressed further into the skin, the string is pulled, allowing the barbs to be unhooked from muscle and follow the path of the rest of the hook out of the body without snagging any additional flesh.
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One case of tetanus contraction through a splinter was seen in Ohio in 1993. An 80-year-old woman was presented to an ED with dysphagia and a stiff jaw. Not long after a preliminary checkup, a wood splinter was found to have been lodged in her chin for approximately 1 week; the area was erythematous
636:
Infection is usually determined by the duration of time that the foreign object remains lodged in the human body. Objects that have included poison, deep penetration, dirt, or bite injuries generally result in a shorter time until infection is notable. According to the AAFP, patients that are older,
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pellets to grenade shrapnel. Smaller objects can be removed without much difficulty if the depth of the wound remains superficial, but if the wound does not protrude past the subcutaneous layers of the skin, and remains inert, the object can actually remain in place. In larger objects, fragments that
619:
There are many medical techniques to remove splinters safely. Common medical techniques include the
Elliptical Technique and the String Technique. In the elliptical technique the surrounding area of the splinter is sliced in an elliptical formation. From there the flesh in the elliptical area is cut
412:
Fishhooks: fishhooks that become lodged in the skin are problematic because of the barbs found on the ends of most fishhooks. These barbs are designed to make removal difficult, and if care is not taken, the victim can experience tearing of not only the flesh, but the muscle as well. The most common
937:
Broder KR, Cortese MM, Iskander JK, Kretsinger K, Slade BA, Brown KH, et al., for the
Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). Preventing tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis among adolescents: use of tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid and acellular pertussis vaccines
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Since the splinter has penetrated through a physical barrier of the body it allows for an individual to get an infection. The opening from the splinter will make it easier for bacteria to get into the body. It is strongly encouraged for the removal of a splinter before falling victim to an
408:
Wood: this type of splinter is contracted from lumber or other vegetative materials. Wood splinters must be removed from wounds because they are associated with inflammation and risk of infection. Larger or deeper splinters can result in difficult removal, or localization of the foreign
432:
remain superficial in one's body may be removed without much trouble, but if wounds protrude past the subcutaneous layers of the skin and even into the muscular area or near vital organs, such objects must be left alone and immediate medical attention must be sought.
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Blankstein A, Cohen I, Heiman Z, Salai M, Diamant L, Heim M, et al. Ultrasonography as a diagnostic modality and therapeutic adjuvant in the management of soft tissue foreign bodies in the lower extremities. Isr Med Assoc J.
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grows back under (or fails to emerge from) the skin. Furthermore, unlike an ingrown hair, the hair that is embedded by a hair splinter may not be one's own; the hair may have either belonged to another person or to an
805:
Mizel, Mark S.; Steinmetz, Neil D.; Trepman, Elly (1994). "Detection of Wooden
Foreign Bodies in Muscle Tissue: Experimental Comparison of Computed Tomography, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, and Ultrasonography".
427:
Other: Pencil lead and other graphite foreign bodies, once lodged in the cutaneous layer of the skin, can cause permanent pigment tattooing if not removed immediately. Metallic bodies range from
424:, there is limited ability for radiography to detect glass fragments smaller than 2 mm. Most glass splinters are inert, and generally lack the ability to migrate to other regions of the body.
416:
Glass: One study found that patients were more likely to feel sensations from glass present in their skin than from any other kind of splinter. Though glass is generally detectable by
301:
Generally, a splinter causes an initial feeling of pain as the sharp object makes its initial penetration through the body. Through this penetration, the object cuts through the
708:
American
College of Emergency Physicians: clinical policy for the initial approach to patients presenting with penetrating extremity trauma. Ann Emerg Med. 1999;33:612–36.
648:, they are much more dangerous than other types of things puncturing the body. Splinters are usually infected with many bacteria which then turn into an infection such as
589:– used to locate bone, fish spines, glass, gravel-stone, metal, aluminum, pencil graphite, some plastics, teeth, and some wood (e.g., spines, cactus, thorns)
285:, which if left untreated could develop into more serious complications. If a splinter is in the body for more than 2–3 days, or if the wound shows signs of
313:. Some splinters will remain in place, but most will continue to migrate through the body (eg. hair splinters), further damaging their surroundings.
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Splinters are often first detected by the person with the splinter in their body. There are many signs that a splinter has entered one's body.
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layer of the skin, and can even penetrate further down, breaking the sub-cutaneous layer, settling in muscle tissue, or even the
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Rarely, people may become infected with splinters from more unusual sources. Common cases of exotic foreign bodies include
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652:. Due to a splinter being made of organic matter, it makes it much more difficult for the body to get rid of it.
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recommendations of the
Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). MMWR Recomm Rep. 2006;55RR-31–34.
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Small wooden splinters (1–4 mm) distant from bones are most easily detected by ultrasonography, while
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Buttaravoli PM, Stair TO. Minor emergencies: splinters to fractures. St. Louis: Mosby, 2000;471–7.
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Trüeb, Ralph M.; Luu, Ngoc-Nhi
Catharina; Gavazzoni Dias, Maria Fernanda Reis (May 11, 2022).
595:– used to locate glass, metal, pencil graphite, some plastics, stone, and some types of wood.
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that penetrates or is purposely injected into a body. The foreign body must be lodged inside
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Capellan O., Hollander, J.E. (2003). Management of lacerations in the emergency department.
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splinters, and nonbiological splinters. In the biological class, splinters include bone,
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336:, the most common foreign bodies contracted by people fall into two official classes:
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Ultrasonography of a subcutaneous splinter (in a finger) 4 x 1mm with oblique stroke.
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250:, but there are many other types, for example, other common types of splinters are,
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293:(whether the splinter was removed or not), advice should be sought from a doctor.
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to be considered a splinter. Splinters may cause initial pain through ripping of
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injuries caused by fishhooks occur in the hand, face, scalp, foot, and eye.
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446:, can work their way under the skin of the feet or hands. Hair splinters (
745:"Not So Uncommon Cause of Foot Pain: Cutaneous Hair Splinter of the Sole"
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Rupert, Jedda; Honeycutt, James David; Odom, Michael Ryan (2020-06-15).
356:. Although, in the nonbiological class, common splinters contracted are
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Tibbles CD, Porcaro W. "Procedural applications of ultrasound."
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If manual detection and localization fail, the main methods for
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Wood, hair, glass, plastic, metal, and spines of animals
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997:"Here's What Happens if You Don't Remove a Splinter"
858:"Splinter removal: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia"
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Sharp pain with deep palpation over a puncture wound
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64:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
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919:"What Happens if You Don't Take Out a Splinter?"
719:"What happens if you don't remove a splinter?"
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281:that breaks the skin, splinters can lead to
498:Blood-stained injury track of a fresh wound
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219:) is a fragment of a larger object, or a
124:Learn how and when to remove this message
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670:"default - Stanford Children's Health"
305:layer of the skin, and settles in the
507:Wound that elicits pain with movement
480:Anatomy The Skin - NCI Visuals Online
462:, where a hair still attached to its
334:American Academy of Family Physicians
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62:adding citations to reliable sources
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528:Chronically draining purulent wound
504:Discoloration beneath the epidermis
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403:Specific details of some splinters
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644:Since most splinters are made of
246:Splinters are primarily made of
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49:needs additional citations for
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561:Delayed tendon or nerve injury
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450:) are commonly experienced by
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519:Pain associated with a mass
458:. This is distinct from an
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895:"How to remove a splinter"
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29:Splinter (disambiguation)
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587:Projectional radiography
510:Wound that fails to heal
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793:Emerg Med Clin North Am
593:Medical ultrasonography
243:on the foreign object.
611:for those near bones.
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542:Sterile monoarticular
516:(with sterile culture)
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448:cutaneous pili migrans
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795:. 2004; 22: 797–815.
558:Pseudotumors of bone
549:Periosteal reactions
167:splinter in a finger
58:improve this article
27:For other uses, see
328:may cause splinters
582:of splinters are:
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482:
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297:Getting a splinter
761:10.1159/000520573
332:According to the
215:(also known as a
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607:have higher
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460:ingrown hair
456:dog groomers
452:hairdressers
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307:subcutaneous
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287:inflammation
277:As with any
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221:foreign body
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191:Risk factors
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56:Please help
51:verification
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899:www.aad.org
609:sensitivity
418:radiography
395:, and even
385:sea urchins
342:fish spines
326:Sea urchins
147:Other names
904:2022-03-21
867:2021-10-27
729:2020-06-26
679:2022-03-21
656:References
422:radiopaque
338:biological
291:tenderness
114:April 2020
84:newspapers
73:"Splinter"
966:0002-838X
828:1071-1007
699:, 205–31.
632:Infection
626:infection
544:arthritis
539:formation
537:Granuloma
524:epidermis
472:Detection
370:fishhooks
303:cutaneous
283:infection
237:infection
195:Infection
177:Infection
1017:Injuries
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974:32538598
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464:follicle
444:pet hair
442:hair or
366:aluminum
241:bacteria
239:through
213:splinter
142:Splinter
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650:tetanus
615:Removal
601:CT scan
566:Imaging
514:Abscess
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233:muscle
225:tissue
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440:beard
409:body.
362:metal
358:glass
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256:glass
235:, or
229:flesh
182:Types
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352:and
350:hair
311:bone
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