Accidental implantation of a bur tip in the elbow of a dentist. A possible pathway for inoculation with deadly infectious agent.
The most common source of occupational injury to dentists is percutaneous puncture of the hands from "sharps". We report a percutaneous injury involving a dentist where the tip of a dental bur became implanted in his elbow. The dentist had been vaccinated against Hepatitis B and both the patient and dentist were Hiv and Hepatitis B seronegative immediately after the incident. Surgical exploration of the dentist's elbow the following day was unsuccessful in locating the bur tip. The dentist remains healthy and is not incapacitated as a result of the injury, despite retention of the bur tip. This accident has implications for modifying the design of present and future dental units. We are not aware of a previous report of this type of injury.
al-Bayaty
H F
HF
School of Dentistry, University of the West Indies, Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Uriah Butler Highway, Champs Fleurs, Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies. dentalsh.trinidad.net
Matthews
R
R
Murti
P R
PR
Maharaj
R
R
D000062:Accidents, Occupational; D000328:Adult; D003762:Dental Instruments; D003813:Dentistry; D004550:Elbow / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy