ANALYSIS OF EXTREMITY FOREIGN BODY INJURIES Ekstremite Yabancı Cisim Yaralanmalarının Analizi

ABSTRACT Objective: Extremity foreign body injuries are common in trauma departments. In this study, we aimed to find a relation to demographics, treatment methods, injury characteristics, environmental and injury conditions so that prevention methods could be more effective. Material and Methods: Hospital digital archives were searched between July 2014 and March 2020 retrospectively and 146 patients were included. The demographic information, injury place, injured extremity with side, foreign body type and opacity, presence of infection, type of anesthesia performed, operation time, incision length were recorded. Data were analyzed statistically. Results: The mean age of the patients was 25.9 ± 17.99 (2-78). According to gender and side examination, 90 patients were male and 56 patients were female. Metallic object and bullet injuries were mostly seen in males and needle injuries were mostly seen in females. Injuries caused by metallic objects were significantly more common in the upper extremity (p: 0.001). Glass and needle injuries were seen significantly as indoor injuries; as well as bullet, wooden part, and metallic part injuries were seen as outdoor injuries (p<0.001). The infection rate was significantly higher in outdoor injuries (p: 0.006). Age (p: 0.005), operation time (p: 0.007) and incision length (p: 0.019) were significantly higher in outdoor injuries. Indoor injuries were significantly higher under 18 years of age (p:0.036). There was a significant correlation between upper extremity injury and age (r: 0.358, p <0.001) and between upper extremity injury and male gender (r: 0.241, p: 0.003). Conclusion: Foreign body injuries are common injuries seen in wide age range. Antibiotic prophylaxis and tetanus vaccine should be applied as primary care. Since firearm injuries, wooden part injuries, and injuries in the rural environment are found to be associated with infection, further studies are needed to discuss extending the duration of antibiotic prophylaxis in these cases.