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What Should Be Done For Accidental Submerged Broken Insulin Needle Near Elbow?

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Posted on Fri, 10 Jan 2014
Twitter Fri, 10 Jan 2014 Answered on
Twitter Thu, 30 Jan 2014 Last reviewed on
Question : I had a insulin needle break clean off in my arm near my elbow, it is submerged so that i can not retrieve it with a tweezers. Right now i have neosporin and a band aid on it. Its been two days and does not hurt, can i just leave it?
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Answered by Dr. T Chandrakant (31 minutes later)
Brief Answer: Can not just leave, needs removal. Detailed Answer: Hi. This is but a rare accident. Since the insulin needle is very small and sharp, it can wander from place to place with movement if the muscles or trial by you/ family and friends. I would suggest you to visit a Doctor/ surgeon who would remove it by giving a local anesthesia. In fact such foreign bodies are very tricky to remove sometimes and may need radiological visualization with C-Arm machine if migrated from the original place. Can you feel it just under the skin? If yes, you can try to to push it out by pressing the cut end in such a way that the pointed tip faces the surface of the skin; just a small push and it will be out , pull it out. Do this only if you are sure by what I mean and you are feeling the full needle just under the skin. Just a small question- How could the needle is your arm if you are not a diabetic?
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D
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Dr. T Chandrakant

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Practicing since :1984

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What Should Be Done For Accidental Submerged Broken Insulin Needle Near Elbow?

Brief Answer: Can not just leave, needs removal. Detailed Answer: Hi. This is but a rare accident. Since the insulin needle is very small and sharp, it can wander from place to place with movement if the muscles or trial by you/ family and friends. I would suggest you to visit a Doctor/ surgeon who would remove it by giving a local anesthesia. In fact such foreign bodies are very tricky to remove sometimes and may need radiological visualization with C-Arm machine if migrated from the original place. Can you feel it just under the skin? If yes, you can try to to push it out by pressing the cut end in such a way that the pointed tip faces the surface of the skin; just a small push and it will be out , pull it out. Do this only if you are sure by what I mean and you are feeling the full needle just under the skin. Just a small question- How could the needle is your arm if you are not a diabetic?