Pencil Point Puncture

Presentation

The patient presents after being stabbed or stuck with a sharp pencil point. The patient may voice concerns regarding lead poisoning due to retained pencil lead. A small puncture wound lined with graphite tattooing will be present ( Fig. 149.1 ). The pencil tip may or may not be present, visible, or palpable. With palpation of the puncture wound, an underlying pencil point may give the patient a foreign-body sensation.