Retained Needle Fragments in Patients With Diabetic Neuropathy
Abstract
To the Editor: Long-standing peripheral neuropathy often compromises the normal protective mechanisms of pain in the affected extremities. In addition to chronic ulceration, acute injury due to foreign bodies also may occur. Broken fragments of insulin needles may "silently" penetrate the soft tissues, acting as a constant source of infection and reinjury. While the risk of such "silent needle" penetration seems apparent, only a single case of this complication has been...