Dr. Munawar Aziz
A young lady gave history of being injected in her buttocks (intragluteal site) by an untrained female health worker. Within the next week of the injection, she started feeling pain at the injection site especially while sitting.
Suspecting an infection, she was advised an X-ray of the injection site, which revealed a broken needle embedded deep in the buttocks. Additional tests, including ultrasound imaging to determine the precise location and an MRI, were performed.
(Fearing a reprisal, the un-trained “health worker” didn’t tell the lady about the incidence.) Subsequently she had to undergo unnecessary laboratory tests and an expensive surgery due to negligence. She was referred to a surgeon who successfully operated on her and removed the needle.
A broken intramuscular (IM) needle in the buttocks is a rare but concerning complication that can occur during injections. While needle breakage is uncommon, it can lead to discomfort, infection, and significant anxiety for patients. Understanding the causes, potential complications, and appropriate management is crucial for healthcare providers and patients alike.
In this case, the culprit was an untrained worker who was not qualified to administer injections. Improper techniques, such as forceful or angled insertion, and failing to instruct the patient to remain still during the injection, can increase the risk of needle breakage. Although rare, manufacturing defects can also contribute to such incidents, which can be avoided by using authentic brands and inspecting syringes before administering injections.
This is clearly a case of negligence and raises questions about the efficiency of the authorities concerned, who are responsible for addressing the menace of quackery and untrained health workers who continue to endanger the lives of innocent people. The patient is also partially to blame, as she chose an unauthorized setup for her injection.
Lesson to be learnt is to avoid injectable if oral therapy is available, but if injections are un-avoidable then proper protocol should be followed.
- Dr. Munawar Aziz
Abbottabad, Pakistan.
aziz.munawar@gmail.com
