Hanging by a hook

Abstract text (incl. references and figure legends)

Introduction
Despite current workplace protection measures, work-related acute injuries (eg, cuts, burns and falls) continue to be a substantial source of disability and lost work days around the world.

Case report
A 59-year-old male, anticoagulated with apixaban for atrial fibrillation, was admitted in emergency room after sustaining a perforating lesion by a 30cm iron hook on his right thigh.
At admission he was hemodynamically stable, with a deep wound in the right inguinal area, with muscle exposure and without evidence of great vessels injury.
A computed tomography (CT) revealed edema of the inner face of the right thigh, with abnormal gas and densification in the right inguinal and pubic region reaching the presacred
fat. No lesions of the great vessels of the limb or anorectal involvement was observed.
Abundant wound irrigation, passive drain placement and wound closure was performed after prophylactic antibiotic was given. The patient was discharged with local wound care and anti-inflammatory drugs and
antibiotic. Despite the potential limb threatening outcome, this injury only affected soft tissue and the patient had a good recovering and could return to work after a few days.

Discussion/Conclusion
Work related injuries can have life-threatening outcomes and severe morbidity. It is important to exclude lesion of major structures when evaluating the patient on the initial trauma assessment.
Furthermore, effective preventive measures, interventions and strategies at workplaces are essentials to adopt in order to reduce some of the potential mechanisms underlying the occurrence of occupational accidents.

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