Nonsurgical Extraction of a Needle in the Foot with Use of a Magnet: A Case Report.

Surgical extraction of a needle in an extremity can be difficult and humbling. If a needle is intra-articular, it should be treated like any other foreign body and be removed1. If it is extra-articular, the best option may be observation with serial radiographs, especially if the needle is stationary and asymptomatic. If the patient experiences pain from the needle, it can be surgically removed with intraoperative fluoroscopy on an elective basis. If a needle is not stationary, it may migrate to the skin surface, and then a needle holder can be used to pull it out. Magnet-assisted removal of ferrous foreign bodies previously has been described with various organ systems or the extremities, but, to the best of our knowledge, has not been used to remove an object from the foot2-10. Magnets are typically used to directly contact the ferrous-based object for immediate removal. We report the novel use of a magnet to …

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