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Discussion on CAN X RAY SHOW WOOD?
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Member:
Liliana
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Posted on Wednesday, Dec 6, 2006 - 2:28 pm:
Dear Dr. O and all,
Long before Chechen came to me apparently having an argument with a mare who did not fancy him, she kicked him and he landed on a branch which splinter inside his buttock, at the time they opened him up and took a large chunk of wood, but he still has a puncture wound that does not close up and some times green puss comes out and some times watery red, specially after work is when he gets the puss, he is not lame though.
Some time ago we put a home remedy which is a mixture of antiseptic and zinc and something else which I cannot remember now and a splinter the size of the tip of a pencil came out. I think there most be some wood still in there but is like looking for a needle in a hay barn, so I was wondering if an X-Ray would show the wood! The injury was about 7 years ago at least. Should he have surgery to remove it could it cause more damage... what to do?
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Member:
36541
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Posted on Wednesday, Dec 6, 2006 - 2:46 pm:
X-ray won't show wood, unless it happens to have lead paint on it! Sometimes you can see areas of air around a wooden foreign body on film, but not usually. In people, these objects will slowly and steadily be pushed out by the body, so we don't usually explore the tract. Sorry, I'm not sure at all if the same applies to horses... Stacy
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Member:
Liliana
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Posted on Wednesday, Dec 6, 2006 - 3:17 pm:
Thank you very much Stacy, I had a feeling it would not, but a "vet" told me it did and that he would operate on him...About how long would it come out in a human? Some time last year a good friend of mine told me that the intrusive wood had probably formed a capsule so he inserted about an 1.5 inch and could not touch anything, prior to that we only had the water red, we wash it every day with Isodine any comments on this.
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Member:
Mrose
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Posted on Wednesday, Dec 6, 2006 - 4:39 pm:
I would think an ultra sound would show it; at least it would show the pockets around the wood. There might be something Dr. O could recommend that would help draw any debris out of the old wound.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Thursday, Dec 7, 2006 - 6:26 am:
Radiographs can show variations in soft tissue guys if the settings are correct and there is enough contrast in density but I agree with Sara that ultrasound might be the most helpful modality for localizing such a foreign body. Neither is required however. You simply assume a chronic draining wound needs further debridement and carefully dissect out the draining tract until you reach the problem.
DrO
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Member:
Liliana
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Posted on Thursday, Dec 7, 2006 - 3:20 pm:
Thank you sooo much.
I guess I'll bring the only vet I trust, although he is in another county.
O knew I'd find the answer here.
Thanks again
Liliana
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