Pre-operative Ultrasound Localization for Removal of a Penetrating Foreign Body of Forearm: Technical Note

Retained or missed foreign bodies are a common complication associated with penetrating wounds. Ideal management includes immediate removal of the foreign material without any further damage to local tissues. However, removal is often difficult if the foreign body is small or has penetrated deeply. In this setting, the emergency room is a suboptimal environment for removal. Ultrasound utilized at the time of removal improved our ability to localize the foreign body, however this requires surgeon familiarity with the equipment. We describe the use of preoperative ultrasound guided foreign body localization with careful topographic skin marking to guide intraoperative foreign body removal with increased yield and obviating the need for ultrasound at the time of removal.