Non-metallic foreign bodies – diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties

Introduction: The management of wounds with possible presence of a foreign body can pose major problems, especially for bodies that cannot be seen in X-ray scans. The most common materials of this type include wood and glass. The size of the foreign body is also important. If overlooked and left behind, even the smallest foreign body may result in permanent damage to local tissues or contribute to a systemic infection such as sepsis. The presence of a foreign body is not detected upon primary wound management in one-third of patients. Presented herein are the cases of four patients in whom foreign bodies in the form of splintered wood or glass shards were left in the wound following trauma, leading to significant difficulties in the diagnostics and removal of these foreign bodies.Aim: The aim of this study was to present four cases of patients presenting with non-metallic foreign bodies causing diagnostic difficulties due to the absence of shading components, and leading to complications such as purulent inflammation.Materials and methods: The study material was collected from the records of the Department of Forensic Medicine of the Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin. Forensic medical opinions and medical records of the patients were analyzed.Results: Ultrasound and computed tomography (CT) scanning are promising methods for pinpointing the presence of foreign bodies such as splinters of wood and shards of glass within wounds. When left behind, a foreign body may lead to generalized inflammation and/or sepsis. Incomplete removal of the foreign body can result in chronic inflammatory reactions and consequent limb dysfunction.Discussion: The management of non-metallic foreign bodies in daily medical practice is discussed, and the reader is familiarized with the possible complications of a foreign body being left behind within the wounded tissue.