title: Use of a slit-lamp microscope for treating impacted facial foreign bodies in the emergency department.
abstract: Identifying, locating, diagnosing, and treating small foreign bodies (FBs) in soft tissues is a challenge for emergency physicians in the emergency department. Additionally, potential complications owing to the remnant FBs are medico-legally significant. The efficacy of conventional imaging methods such as radiography, computed tomography, and ultrasonography are largely limited in visualizing FBs<2-mm. The slit-lamp microscope, still unfamiliar to some emergency physicians, could be used to facilitate the treatment of FBs impacted in soft tissues. In this paper, we present a case that would have been difficult to treat without the help of the slit-lamp microscope; the patient presented with numerous particulate facially impacted FBs that were too small to be observed under plain sight or with radiography. Based on our experience, the slit-lamp microscope could be a useful tool for treating patients with miniscule and stubborn impacted FBs in the emergency department.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Incheon St. Mary's Hospital, Incheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Seung-Hwan
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Seol
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Joonpil
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Incheon St. Mary's Hospital, Incheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Woon-Jeong
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Sang-Cheon
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Choi
keywords: Foreign bodies; Soft tissue injuries; Therapeutics