Date Palm Thorn Injury: A Literature Review and a Case Study of Extensive Hand Haematoma

Abstract

Date palm thorn injuries require a high level of clinical suspicion and careful management as they can lead to severe complications, such as tissue inflammation, synovitis, and extensive haematoma. Although it is associated with serious injuries, this type of injury is often underdiagnosed and is not sufficiently reported in the literature. We describe a case report of an 18-year-old male patient who presented with significant progressive swelling of the right hand that extended to the distal third of the forearm, having received a date thorn injury the day before. The patient underwent multiple incisions and hand fasciotomy to reduce the haematoma and relieve compartment pressure in his hand.