Removing Foreign Objects

Figure 4-31.Applying compresses to a protruding abdominal wound.

Hospital Corpsman Revised Edition - Complete Navy Nursing manual for hospital training purposes
Page Navigation
168

thirsty, moisten the mouth with a small amount of water, but do not allow any liquid to be swallowed. Upon the direction of a medical officer, start an intravenous line. Crush Injuries Force can be transmitted from the body's exterior to its interior structure, leaving the skin intact, with a simple bruise as the only external evidence of trauma. This force can cause internal organs to be crushed or to rupture and bleed. When this happens, it is called a crush injury. Organs such as the liver and spleen contain a lot of blood. When crushed, these organs bleed severely, and this severe internal bleeding can cause shock. Contents of hollow organs (e.g., urine or digested food) can leak into the body cavities, causing severe inflammation and tissue damage. Bones can also be broken along with muscles, and nerves damaged. Assessment and treatment for the Hospital Corpsman can be difficult when a crush injury is involved. Treat symptomatically and evacuate to the nearest medical treatment facility as soon as possible. Removing Foreign Objects Many wounds contain foreign objects. Wood or glass splinters, bullets, metal fragments, bits of wire, fishhooks, nails, tacks, cinders, and small particles from grinding wheels are examples of the variety of objects or materials that are sometimes found in wounds. When such objects are near the surface and exposed, first aid treatment includes their removal. However, first aid treatment does not include the removal of deeply embedded objects, powdered glass, or any widely scattered material of this nature. You should never attempt to remove bullets, but you should try to find out whether the bullet remains in the victim. Look for both entrance and exit wounds. The general rule to remember is this: Remove foreign objects from a wound when you can do so easily and without causing further damage; but NEVER HUNT FOR OR ATTEMPT TO REMOVE DEEPLY BURIED OR W I D E LY S C AT T E R E D O B J E C T S O R MATERIALS, except in a definitive care environ- ment. The following procedure may be used to remove a small object from the skin or tissues if the object is near the surface and clearly visible: 1. Cleanse the skin around the object with soap and water and paint with any available skin antiseptic solution. 2. If necessary, pierce the skin with a sharp instrument (a needle, razor, or sharp knife that has been sterilized by passing it through a flame several times). 3. Grasping the object at the end, remove it. Tweezers, small pincers, or forceps may be used for this purpose. (Whatever instrument you use should first be sterilized by boiling if at all possible.) 4. If the wound is superficial, apply gentle pressure to encourage bleeding. 5. Cover the wound with a dry, sterile dressing. If the foreign object is under a fingernail or toenail, you may have to cut a V-shaped notch in the nail so that the object can be grasped by the forceps. Do not try to dig the object out from under the nail with a knife or similar instrument. A curved or barbed object (such as a fishhook) may present special problems. Figure 4-32 shows one method of removing a fishhook that has become embedded in the flesh. As you can see from figure 4-32A, the barb on the hook prevents its direct removal. However, if you push the hook forward through the skin, as shown in figure 4-32B, you can clip off the barb with a wire cutter or similar tool, as shown in figure 4-32. The remainder of the fishhook 4-40 Figure 4-32.—Removing a fishhook.

Privacy Statement
Press Release
Contact