Foreign Body Reaction - DermAtlas - Dermatology Image Atlas

Contributor

Greg Hosler, MD, PhD

Diagnosis

foreign body reaction

Body Site

hand

Age

27 years

Pigmentation

light

Organization

discrete

Color

red

Morphology

papule

Pattern

solitary

Comments

This specimen from the hand of a 27-year-old woman was submitted as a foreign body granuloma. Biopsy revealed a somewhat surprising finding of a retained splinter in complete cross-section. Foreign material can often be identified as foreign by polarization or by uncharacteristic "straight lines".

Description

Histologic sections of acral skin show focal epidermal ulceration with adjacent acanthosis. A foreign body, consistent with a splinter, is lodged into the skin, penetrating the superficial dermis. Fungal spores are present along the splinter's edge. Thre is an associated dermal reaction, consisting of a mixed inflammatory infiltrate, vascular proliferation, and fibrosis.

Image Added

3/14/2006 22:59:20

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Other Resources

PubMed Medline Plus Medscape

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