Abstract
A 54-year-old woman with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, diabetic neuropathy, neuropathic arthropathy of the feet and a plantar ulcer underwent plain radiography, which showed 2 clipped-off hypodermic needles, of which she had been unaware, in the soft tissue of one foot. This previously unreported complication is clinically instructive in that it demonstrates the importance of counselling patients about the protection of insensitive extremities. This case also has public health implications, suggesting as it does that the still-common practice of breaking hypodermic needles before disposal should be strongly discouraged.
Full Text
The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (265.3 KB).
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Gold M., Gafni A., Nelligan P., Millson P. Needle exchange programs: an economic evaluation of a local experience. CMAJ. 1997 Aug 1;157(3):255–262. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Grunfeld C. Diabetic foot ulcers: etiology, treatment, and prevention. Adv Intern Med. 1992;37:103–132. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Haiduven D. J., DeMaio T. M., Stevens D. A. A five-year study of needlestick injuries: significant reduction associated with communication, education, and convenient placement of sharps containers. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 1992 May;13(5):265–271. doi: 10.1086/646525. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Larsson J., Apelqvist J. Towards less amputations in diabetic patients. Incidence, causes, cost, treatment, and prevention--a review. Acta Orthop Scand. 1995 Apr;66(2):181–192. doi: 10.3109/17453679508995520. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- McNeely M. J., Boyko E. J., Ahroni J. H., Stensel V. L., Reiber G. E., Smith D. G., Pecoraro R. F. The independent contributions of diabetic neuropathy and vasculopathy in foot ulceration. How great are the risks? Diabetes Care. 1995 Feb;18(2):216–219. doi: 10.2337/diacare.18.2.216. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Philipp R. Community needlestick accident data and trends in environmental quality. Public Health. 1993 Sep;107(5):363–369. doi: 10.1016/s0033-3506(05)80129-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Satterfield D., Kling J. Diabetes educators encourage safe needle practice. Diabetes Educ. 1991 Jul-Aug;17(4):321–325. doi: 10.1177/014572179101700412. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Teelucksingh S., Naraynsingh V. Injury to diabetic feet by thumb tacks. Lancet. 1997 Jul 5;350(9070):74–74. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(05)66286-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Wilson M. Charcot foot osteoarthropathy in diabetes mellitus. Mil Med. 1991 Oct;156(10):563–569. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]