to be worried about this needle left in my leg

[creamhearts]

I cut my leg ankle last Tuesday and as the A&E dr was stitching me up the needle broke off (a small curved one) into the wound and he couldn't find it. An x-ray showed it was in there.

I had to go to the plastics trauma clinic the next day and they also could not find it so they stitched my ankle up with the needle in there.

The wound keeps leaking loads of clear fluid which is irritating. I am really worried that leaving the needle in will cause me future problems. DH thinks I should complain.

FYI I am currently an inpatient at a mental hospital and the drs and nurses there have checked it but are also a bit that they left the needle in and are not really sure what to do with the wound.

People do heal fine around bits of shrapnel, etc. I'm surprised the needle was so deep they can't find it, but digging around probably will cause more trauma. If you're not unwell (ie. infected), perhaps discuss it again tomorrow, as it's obviously worrying you.

I agree a good plan would be to ask to speak to the consultant or a member of his/her team. But also If the wound isn't healing it should be reviewed again.

As others have said leaving a sterile foreign body in situ isn't as crazy as it sounds - surgeons leave clips, coils and staples all the time.

That's a good point about clips. Used in surgery to clip off veins they are mainly plastic used but metal are used too and stay in. It won't stop a wound healing. Joint replacements are also metal and they do not cause infections generally.

I wouldn't worry about it. The weeping could be a generalised sound infection from the cut rather than the suture needle (which is probably not very big either).

Wildfire, I do appreciate that and I'm not a Doctor but if the wound was open, surely they could have done more at that point?

It just seems a bit strange. I know in operating theatres they count in and out every single tool and needle etc. Any thing missing is taken VERY seriously.

That's because a missing tool would do more damage than a tiny needle! And also obviously if they can help it they don't want to leave something behind so they count very carefully, but this was already lost and they didn't think they would be able to get this out.

Yes of course, usually absolutely everything is done to retrieve everything that shouldnt be left in a wound. Instruments, swabs etc. Have personally spent an hour looking for a needle that pinged off the holder once (found it!) but you do get to a point where you have to say you cant carry on looking for ever, and take a pragmatic view of risks vs benefits. If the needle is embedded in tissue, then the more looking, the more damage is caused, IYSWIM. I would hope they had a really good look before they gave up in this case.