Fish scale: an unusual foreign body

Abstract

Retained foreign bodies can be a source of infection and a cause of disability. A 63-year-old white man presented with a nonhealing wound of the right second finger of 1 month's duration. The injury occurred while cleaning fish. Radiographs and subsequent wound exploration showed a retained fish scale in a finger wound. In addition to foreign bodies, atypical infectious organisms must be considered in nonhealing wounds associated with fish or water.