Fish hook injury: removal by ''push through and cut off'' technique: a case report and brief literature review

Abstract

Introduction: Fishing is a leisure activity for some people around the world. Accidently the fish hook can get hooked in the hand. If the hook is barbed, removal becomes difficult. We report a case of such a injury in the hand and discuss the technique for its removal with a brief review of the literature.

Case presentation: A thirty-two year old male accidently suffered a fishhook injury to his hand. He came to the orthopaedic ward two hours after the incident with pain; the fish hook was hanging from the hand. Unsuccessful attempts to remove it were made by his relatives. A push-through and cut-off technique was used for removal of barbed hook.

Discussion: Barbed hooks are to be removed atraumatically with controlled incision over properly anaesthetised skin. Proper wound management and prophylactic antibiotics suitable for treatment of Aeromonas species should be initiated to prevent complications.

Keywords: Fish Hook; Hand Injuries; Wounds and Injuries.

Figure 1.. Fish Hook Hanging From the Hand

Figure 2.. Removed Fish Hook

Figure 3.. Fish Hook Removal Method Based on the Type of Hook and Penetration into Skin

Figure 4.. Technique of Fish Hook Removal

A1-A3: Removal of simple hook by retrograde technique; B1-B3: Removal of Barbed hook by string pull method, Red line depicts the pull of thread and black arrow the downward force; C1-C3 Needle cover technique, red line indicates the needle covering the barb and black arrow shows the direction of force; D1-D3 Advance and cut off technique: Note the barbed end is pushed through a different site and the remaining shaft is backed out via the entry site.