title: Bedside ultrasound AIDS identification and removal of cutaneous foreign bodies: a case series.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Soft tissue injury with a retained foreign body (FB) is a common emergency department (ED) complaint. Detection and precise localization of these foreign bodies is often difficult with traditional plain radiographic imaging or computed tomography (CT).
  
  
  METHODS
  We present three cases in which bedside ultrasound was used to identify and guide management of retained soft tissue foreign bodies. Comparison of ultrasound vs. plain radiography and CT, as well as techniques for FB identification and removal, are discussed. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Bedside ultrasound is an invaluable tool in the localization of foreign bodies in relation to other anatomic structures, and aids in the decision to remove them in the ED.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Gavin R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Budhram
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Jillian C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Schmunk
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D006230:Hand Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: foreign body; imaging; ultrasound