Vascular complications of a foreign body in the hand of an asymptomatic patient.

Foreign bodies in the hand are common clinical problems. A patient with a foreign body (glass) in the hand who was initially asymptomatic subsequently experienced ulnar artery erosion, thromboemboli, digital ischemia, and skin necrosis. These complications could have been prevented by removing the glass antecedent to the ulnar artery erosion. Excellent results were obtained by removal of the glass, excision of the diseased ulnar artery segment, and primary ulnar artery anastomosis.