High-pressure injection of paint into the hand: a severe injury that should not be underestimated

High-pressure injection into the hand causes a small skin lesion but severe subcutaneous tissue damage, which can result in permanent functional loss or amputation. Urgent and appropriate treatment is decisive. We present the case of an industrial painter who injected oil-based paint with a high-pressure gun into his left index finger. He was admitted to Accidents and Emergencies, where tetanus prophylaxis and antibiotic therapy were adminis-tered. Then, within four hours of his arrival at the hospital, the patient was brought to the operating room for surgical debridement. A year after the injury the finger's active and passive range of motion was complete, although paling of the skin together with hypersensitivity and dysfunction occurred on exposure to cold. The severity of these lesions, even if their initial appearance is benign, must be recognized and an immediate surgical debridement of the entire ischemic tissue should be performed, because delay in treatment is associated with higher rates of complication. Keywords. High-pressure injuries. Paint injection. Hand. Management.