Cutaneous foreign bodies: elusive presentation. Case report and review of the literature

Foreign Body Reaction Due to a Forgotten Rubber Band on the Neck of a Toddler Girl

ABSTRACT

In the presence of an unhealed granulation tissue-like wound, a possibility of abuse and neglect along with a foreign body should come to mind. However, it may be difficult to recognize a foreign body in patients with atypical clinical presentations. We demonstrated delayed diagnosis of a rubber band embedded into subcutaneous tissue in a 2½-year-old girl who presented with a circumferential scar with 2 granulation tissue-like wounds on her neck due to a foreign body reaction developed over years. With this rare case presentation, we remind the possibility of abuse/neglect along with foreign bodies in neck lesions of children.

A Piercing Diagnosis - Occult Foreign Body as the Cause of Acute Inguinal Pain

CASE PRESENTATION

A 35-year-old woman presented to the emergency department with severe right inguinal pain. Her medical history was non-contributory and there was no known trauma or injury to the region. Amid concern for an incarcerated inguinal hernia, a computed tomography was obtained revealing a linear foreign body (FB) lateral to the femoral vessels. The FB was removed without complication at bedside and found to be a beading needle likely occultly lodged three days prior.

DISCUSSION

Occult inguinal FBs are rare but can lead to deep venous thrombosis or pulmonary embolism if in or near vessels. By nature of being occult, an absence of ingestion, insertion, or penetrative history should not preclude consideration of a FB etiology. Computed tomography imaging is crucial in determining the urgency of, and approach to, inguinal foreign body removal.