Fishhook injuries are common, surprisingly nuanced, and honestly a little intimidating until you’ve removed a few. In this first episode of our Minor Procedures series, we’ll reel in the essentials of pediatric fishhook removal, helping you take the bait on four classic removal techniques, procedural planning, anesthesia strategies, and post-removal management. We’ll discuss when to pull back, when to advance, when not to get hooked on a single technique, and how to avoid turning a simple procedure into the one that got away. Along the way we’ll cover sedation, antibiotics, wound care, and practical pearls to help you land these cases with confidence.
Learning Objectives
- Compare and select among the four major fishhook removal techniques based on hook characteristics, depth of penetration, and anatomic location.
- Apply evidence-based approaches to analgesia, anxiolysis, procedural sedation, and post-removal management for pediatric fishhook injuries.
- Identify situations requiring escalation of care, including ocular involvement, contaminated water exposure, tendon or joint involvement, and circumstances where routine management may not be sufficient.
References
- Gammons MG, Jackson E. Fishhook removal. Am Fam Physician. 2001;63(11):2231-2236.
- Prats M, O'Connell M, Wellock A, Kman NE. Fishhook removal: case reports and a review of the literature. J Emerg Med. 2013;44(6):e375-e380. doi:10.1016/j.jemermed.2012.11.058
- Doser C, Cooper WL, Ediger WM, et al. Fishhook injuries: a prospective evaluation. Am J Emerg Med. 1991;9(5):413-415. doi:10.1016/0735-6757(91)90204-w
