title: Massive foreign body impalement of the shoulder and chest wall.
abstract: Impalement injuries to the upper extremity are rare. A case is described of penetration of a 10 x 3.5-inch fence post into the left shoulder of a 16-year-old boy, pinning the shoulder to the chest wall. Sequelae of potential serious brachioplexus, vascular, and intrathoracic injuries are reviewed. The author presents a systematic treatment approach to the assessment, extrication, and microneurovascular repair of damaged structures, and to soft tissue reconstruction following massive foreign body injuries.
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic Surgery, Stanford University Medical Center, CA.
authors.forename: E H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Rose
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods; D012782:Shoulder / Q000601:surgery; D000070599:Shoulder Injuries; D013518:Surgery, Plastic / Q000379:methods; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery*