GENERAL ASPECTS ABOUT STRANGE SUBSTANCES LOCATED ON FOOT

We define “strange substance” to any object of organic origin which comes from an external part of the human body. The strange substances with an organic origin can come from animals (hair, bones, etc.) or vegetables (wood, thorns, etc.). The organic substances are usually metallic, plastic or glass. It can come in a voluntary or an involuntary way on an area of the human body which it does not fit. On foot they are mainly located in the plantar area due to its connection to the load and the continued support of the digital area. We can synthetically see different cutaneous reactions in the area where the strange substance is placed such as an unspecific inflammatory reaction, the appearance of a hyperkeratosis which covers the dermis where the strange substance is located or arterial signs by an arterial lesion. To diagnose the appearance of a strange substance it should be advisable the physical examination or an image study being the radiologic tests a great help to visualize and to localize radiopaque or metallic strange substances. In some cases, it is necessary an examination by TAC or by an echography to visualize the strange substance. The treatment involves extracting with the aim of preventing infections and harm in the surrounding tissues. Therefore, we put aseptic in the area and then we extract the strange substance with some forceps and a bistoury. According to the depth and the kind of strange substance, it will be necessary to anesthetize previously the area to operate on. It will be applied antibiotic therapy according to a previous existence of infection. If the wound is deep or dirty, it should be advisable to put the antitetanus vaccine in case that the patient does not have an updated vaccination.