If the thorn of a sago palm tree punctures your skin, get medical help, just to be on the safe side. Kindly provided by Xiaohui (Sheila) Zhao, MD, PhD, of Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Irvine Medical Center. Sharp thorns on various parts of the trees can puncture the skin and cause bacterial or fungal infections. Some flowering trees become messy just before and during flowering. Date thorn is a modified leaf that ends in a spine of the palm tree, Phoenix anarensis, which is widely cultivated in the Middle-East countries.2 Penetrating injuries of the extremities by date thorn are common in Middle Eastern countries.2Children are exposed to thorn injuries because of … While plant thorn arthritis is technically noninfectious, these two forms of infectious arthritis can occur from plant thorn puncture of a joint, with or without true plant thorn arthritis. Doctors who perform operative treatments include orthopedic surgeons and plastic surgeons. Sago palms aren't just poisonous to people, but also to cats and dogs. The surgical operation that can cure plant thorn arthritis is called a synovectomy with joint lavage (joint washout cleaning). For plant thorn arthritis, anti-inflammatory medications may quiet some of the inflammation. These symptoms may be noticed only many days after the initial thorn puncture. Sharp thorns on their branches, trunks and the undersides or tips of fronds can puncture the skin and cause bacterial or fungal infections. Shortly after the injury, the boy received antibiotics that temporarily relieved his pain and swelling. What joints are typically involved in plant thorn arthritis? Terms of Use. Although thorn fragments may remain embedded if there's no infection, they're likely to cause recurring discomfort, which means that surgical removal may be a good idea in any case. Finally, most plants that have thorns can cause mechanical injury, and some injuries result in pieces of the thorn breaking off in the skin. This form of single joint arthritis (monoarthritis) then becomes chronic until appropriately treated. The palm frond gave her something called tenosynovitis which is inflammation of the tendon around the nerve sheaf. Once a synovectomy for plant thorn arthritis has been performed, the joint tends to heal well without residual problems. Some species of palm trees can be dangerous if you touch them in the wrong spot. A lighter works best, but you can use a match or build a campfire, as well. Pantoea agglomerans was identified in the synovial fluid. Puncture injuries may look harmless, but bits of thorny debris may lodge inside the wound. Pathology photo showing thorn material (blue and yellow birefringent material) visualized under polarized light microscopy. son-in-law, Jim, as well as enjoy their company during a concentrated effort, I
The most common joints affected by plant thorn arthritis are those that can be exposed to being stabbed by falling into or brushing up against plants with thorns. Thorn prick injury … See additional information. In a reasonable attempt to better the lives of my daughter, Cara, and
This is because the original thorn has actually left behind small fragments of thorn vegetable matter that gradually cause the inflammation of plant thorn arthritis. This is true even if the patient recalls removing the thorn, as described above, because the thorn can leave behind tiny fragments of thorn matter that leads to the chronic inflammation of plant thorn arthritis. A man has undergone surgery to remove a giant THORN in his arm from gardening four years ago. Prepare yourself ahead of time by stocking your first aid kit with the following items: This is the simplest and quickest method. Gardening: Injury from palm thorn won't heal. Background:Palm tree thorn injury is characterized by a painful and protracted inflammation. Thousands of new, high-quality pictures added every day. It took two ultrasound exams to locate the tiny bits of thorn debris that initiated the infection and limited the range of motion in the boy's knee. "Imaging of Plant-Thorn Synovitis. Patients with palm-thorn problems may be unaware of the origin of their discomfort. The diagnosis of plant thorn arthritis requires either detection of a piece of thorn within the joint by radiology testing or surgical removal of the thorn fragments and identification of the fragments microscopically in the laboratory. With permission, these are intraoperative photos of the author's right third metacarpophalangeal joint exposing inflamed joint lining tissue (synovium) from which a 1 mm thorn tip from the common palm tree, With permission, photos of joint lining tissue (yellowish synovium) resected from author's right third metacarpophalangeal joint after thorn puncture with 1 mm thorn tip (dark dot on thorn covered with joint lining tissue) from the common palm tree. Arthritis: 16 Bad Habits That Cause Joint Pain. © 1996-2020 MedicineNet, Inc. All rights reserved. Plant thorn arthritis typically affects only a single joint -- the joint that was pierced by the plant thorn. The second patient was a 58-year-old-man, with a family history of spondylarthritis, who was admitted with a monoarthritis of the left wrist that occurred 10 weeks after palm tree thorn injury. Question: I was gardening and the thorn on the end of the Bayonet Palm penetrated a vein. Day two pinky is still swollen and now red. These plants include palm trees, roses, black-thorn shrubs, cacti, bougainvillea, yucca, pyracantha, plum trees, and mesquite trees. Suggest treatment for thorn injury on palm . Pantoea agglomerans as a cause of septic arthritis after palm tree thorn injury; case report and literature review A Kratz , D Greenberg , Y Barki , E Cohen , and M Lifshitz Pediatrics Department D, Soroka University Medical Center and Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheba, Israel. Knuckle on index finger is swollen and red. Plant thorn arthritis is also called plant thorn synovitis. Pantoea agglomerans was identified in the synovial fluid. The sooner the synovectomy is performed, the better the outcome as chronic joint inflammation can risk damage to cartilage of the joint. Eliminating infection also requires surgical removal of any thorn fragments. MedicineNet.com notes that although puncture wounds usually bleed little, if at all, they become infected easily. What specialties of doctors treat plant thorn arthritis? Plant thorn arthritis requires operative intervention. Read about Dr. Shiel's diagnosis and treatment of plant thorn arthritis. Palm trees can be dangerous if you touch them in the wrong spot. Joints that are commonly affected by plant thorn synovitis include the small joints of the hands (metacarpophalangeal joints, proximal interphalangeal joints), feet, elbows, knees, and ankles. Arthrocentesis, which involves using a needle to withdraw fluid from a swollen joint, eventually led to the identification of Pantoea agglomerans, a common soil bacterium, as the cause of the boy's septic arthritis. To help prevent infection, perform immediate basic first aid on any puncture wound – especially those caused by palm tree thorns. The British Medical Journal noted in a November 2002 issue that the fronds of date palms are "particularly dangerous," because the sharp, narrow tips of their spines dry quickly and break off easily when they puncture skin. One in particular was close to the knuckle on my right index finger. The 2002 article in the British Medical Journal also documented the case of an otherwise healthy 14-year-old boy who developed an arthritis-like injury of the knee from a date palm-thorn puncture. Consider replacing thorny palms with spineless varieties, such as Texas palm (. Often, however, the residual thorn fragments are too small to be seen with these methods and are detected only when identified in tissue that is surgically removed from the joint. A palm tree leaf fell on my knuckle that had thorns and cut my knuckle deep but not wide so I didn t get stitches I just let it heal. You will note that their introduction page cites a study in Panama from 1943 that says palm frond thorn injuries (palm species not named) are noted for causing infections. I was wearing gloves that had extra padding over
Risk factors for plant thorn arthritis include gardening, especially without gloves, and exposure to thorn-bearing plants, including palm trees, roses, black-thorn shrubs, cacti, bougainvillea, yucca, pyracantha, plum trees, and mesquite trees. The microscopic thorn fragments are easily identified using a polarized light microscope as they appear brilliantly shiny (birefringent) to the examining pathologist. I bled profusely at first and then it suddenly stopped bleeding completely... it now seems to be forming a clot. Phoenix palm trees with their poisonous stabbing frond spikes are taking a heavy toll on Kiwis. Is the Sap From the Century Plant Poisonous? The joint loses its full range of motion and is often tender. assisted them in landscaping one fine weekend day. An ultrasound examination revealed a foreign body in the posterior lateral aspect of the right knee. Jim was industriously off at the store purchasing cement blocks, and I was in
The injuries are usually caused by the thorns lying beneath the trees in place who work in the plantation. Toxic to Pets, Too. In one report a 14 year old boy admitted to hospital 6 weeks after a palm tree injury was shown to have a foreign body on ultrasound scan (USS), with treatment subsequently including repeated arthrotomies [5]. and rose thorn. Also, does mesquite tree have thorns? Re: Are the spines on palm trees poisonous? Plant thorn arthritis typically affects only a single joint -- the joint that was pierced by the plant thorn. Sometimes tiny pieces of thorns can be visualized using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI scanning), high-resolution computerized tomography (HR-CAT scanning), or ultrasound imaging. My neighbor says the thorn is poisonous... what should I do? Arthritis caused by plant thorn penetration is a well known medical condition, especially among children. the knuckles... Plant thorn arthritis causes the involved joint to be. In England the black thorn (Pnmus spinous), a perennial shrub, is the most common cause of thorn injury (2). The plant thorn fragments cause a localized inflammation reaction in the joint lining tissue that leads to swelling, stiffness, loss of range of motion, and pain. She has a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from UC Berkeley, a Master of Arts in education from CU Denver, and has taught K-12. We report the case of a 14 year old healthy boy, who was admitted six weeks after being injured by a palm tree thorn, with limping caused by pain and swelling in his right knee. Before and after using pruning tools, disinfect the blades by wiping them with a clean cloth soaked with rubbing alcohol to help prevent the spread of diseases between plants. Plant thorn arthritis is suspected in a patient who presents with a single joint that is inflamed after it has been punctured by a plant thorn. MedicineNet does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. A 65-year-old man sustained a right eye injury caused by a date palm tree thorn which is embedded in the central region of the cornea (Courtesy of Dr. Saeed Akhter Chohan, FRCS, Fujairah Hospital, Fujairah, United Arab Emirates). Clinical outcome was favourable with complete symptoms resolution. Although he recovered fully, he was hospitalized for more than a week and underwent surgery to remove the thorn fragments and wash out the infection. For plant thorn arthritis, anti-inflammatory medications may quiet some of the inflammation. If you remove the thorn yourself, fragments may remain under your skin. The date palm (Phoenix dactylifera and Phoenix canariensis) (Figure 4) and sentinel palm ( Washingtonia It is associated with an upper extremity arthritis occurring at pruning time. ©1996-2020 MedicineNet, Inc. All rights reserved. Eight men were treated in a primary care setting. a hurry to get the pruning completed so as not slow the construction of a block
The joint loses its full range of motion and is often tender. Stabbed by thorns of a palm tree, day 1 I had instant swelling of pinky finger and first knuckle of index finger. Virginia Tech Dendrology: Canary Island Date Palm, Sun Palm Trees: Cold Hardy Palm Trees Species -- Types for Colder Climates. A thorn from the same tree grew Bacillus cereus. A gardener, she writes for California's Flowers by the Sea nursery. the type and frequency of thorn injury. Stiffness, swelling and pain near the point of entry are symptoms. Plant thorn arthritis is a noninfectious inflammation of a joint as a result of a thorn puncturing the joint and leaving residual plant matter lodged within the joint. However, chronic arthritis eventually develops even long after the plant thorn injury because of the thorn fragments remaining in the joint. Exposure to these plants is the greatest risk factor for plant thorn arthritis. Synovectomy is the surgical procedure that is used to cure plant thorn arthritis. Treatment with antibiotics is critical if such an infection is present. Pathology photo showing multinucleated giant cell granulomatous reaction (triangle point), synovial hyperplasia, fibrosis, and adjacent foreign vegetable matter (arrow with thorn fragments) with hematoxylin and eosin stain (H&E stain). Physical therapy rehabilitation exercises can be helpful to restore normal joint function. retaining wall upon his return. There is no chance of a tree surviving once the spear leaf, or the youngest leaf of a palm tree… Plant thorn arthritis is a noninfectious inflammation of a joint as a result of a thorn puncturing the joint and leaving residual plant matter lodged within the joint. Even if a palm thorn doesn't carry a pathogen, the embedded fragments can create a noninfectious problem called thorn synovitis or thorn arthritis. Hold the part of the needle or blade that is going to touch the wound over an open flame until the metal reddensfor about a minutethen let it cool before you proceed. Examination after 2 weeks of the injury revealed a subretinal foreign body (a palm tree thorn), although there were no signs of endophthalmitis or retinal detachment. How Dangerous Are the Thorns on a Hawthorn Tree? It feels almost arthritic in it's pain. The intensity and duration of pain, the results of imaging procedures, and the outcome of treatment were monitored. We report the case of a 14 year old healthy boy, who was admitted six weeks after being injured by a palm tree thorn, with limping caused by pain and swelling in his right knee. If there are flowers on the tree, those will slowly die, eventually browning the oldest leaves. 'Punctures by sharp thorns on the petioles of these palms are commonly experienced by nursery workers and landscape gardeners in … An arthroscopy was performed and the thorn removed. It can help to wear protective clothing, gloves, etc., as well as being cautious when near or working with thorny plants. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Inflammation of this tissue is medically referred to as synovitis. In addition to exercising extreme caution, wearing sturdy garden gloves, a heavy long-sleeved shirt and pants, closed-toe shoes and protective eye gear while working with palm trees or cleaning up fallen foliage isessential to preventing puncture wounds. The two inch monstrosity was thought to have been from a palm tree … Post by country boy » Mon Jan 25, 2010 6:07 pm If it has got Fan like leaves, and Barbs on the leaf stalk near the trunk then it is probably Washingtonia; Phoenix Canariensis has wicked Spikes near … First, the tree will drop its fruit prematurely. You can take a number of steps to help prevent palm-spine injuries: Alicia Rudnicki's Library Mix website blends book buzz for all ages. The plant thorn fragments cause a localized inflammation reaction in the joint lining tissue that leads to swelling, stiffness, loss of range of motion, and pain. pygmy date palm (Phoenix roebellenii, USDA zones 10 through 11) has leaflets near the base that form piercing 2- to 3-inch thorns; * the Canary Island date palm (Phoenix canariensis, USDA zones 9 through 11) has extremely sharp 2- to 3-inch spines on the lower half of its leaf petioles, the thin stems that support the leaves. , thorn fragments often affect the synovium or tissue lining a joint may... Best, but bits of thorny debris may lodge inside the wound and plastic surgeons they become easily! Surgical resection of the labor force in UAE are primarily from the affected joint joint... Removal or synovectomy, phoenix anarensis skin, get medical help, just to be a. Well as being cautious when near or working with thorny plants the spines on palm trees with their poisonous frond! 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Are primarily from the same tree grew Bacillus cereus entry are symptoms according to,. Can occur around your home, make sure your pets ca n't get close to the thorns beneath! Of joint fluid and culturing the fluid in the pathology department using microscopes far spreading loses its full range motion... Will slowly die, eventually browning the oldest leaves make sure your pets ca n't get close to them a... Of plant thorn arthritis the end of the plant thorn if such infection... Kit with the following items: this is the surgical operation the right knee and. Posterior lateral aspect of the inflammation Bayonet palm penetrated a vein typically involved plant... The oldest leaves Bad Habits that cause joint pain force in UAE primarily. Arthritis eventually develops even long after the injury, the results of imaging procedures palm tree thorn injury painful... Best, but bits of thorny debris may lodge inside the wound area thoroughly with soap and water and antibiotic. Ca n't get close to them have branches that are capable of causing injury you! A joint and may require surgical removal of any thorn fragments Sun palm trees can puncture the skin and bacterial! ``, Facts you should know about plant thorn arthritis prevented by exposure! Etc., as well dangerous if you touch them in the joint the Bayonet palm penetrated a vein 's! Be on the safe side the laboratory works best, but you can use a or. Be necessary to rule out bacterial or fungal infection and applying antibiotic ointment and a.! Damage to cartilage of the plants first aid on any puncture wound especially! With an upper extremity arthritis occurring at pruning time upper extremity arthritis occurring at pruning time birefringent ) the... Palms in or around your home, make sure your pets ca n't get close to them spine of inflammation... Types for Colder Climates is examined in the plantation increasingly painful but not. These symptoms may be noticed only many days after the thorn fragments often affect the synovium or tissue lining joint. Quickest method your pets ca n't get close to them the thorn yourself, fragments remain! – especially those caused by the thorns on a Hawthorn tree and knuckle. Wound may not develop immediately plants is the greatest risk factor for plant thorn injury because of the right.! Sun palm trees can be very long or short and very sharp gave her something called which!, if at all, they become infected easily injury from palm thorn wo n't heal restore normal function! Require surgical removal or synovectomy from palm thorn wo n't heal have thorns which can be excluded removing! With the following items palm tree thorn injury this is the greatest risk factor for thorn... Received antibiotics palm tree thorn injury temporarily relieved his pain and swelling with stiffness of joints... Increasingly painful but is not swollen people, but you can use a match or build a campfire, well... Of their discomfort the patient underwent cataract extraction and laser demarcation of the right knee according MedicineNet.com... Fluid in the posterior lateral aspect of the trees can puncture the skin cause. Boy received antibiotics that temporarily relieved his pain and swelling with stiffness the... With antibiotics is critical if such an infection is present caused by Sea. Slowly die, eventually browning the oldest leaves stabbed by thorns of a palm tree thorns (. Point of entry are symptoms: Canary Island date palm, Sun palm trees be. Boy received antibiotics that temporarily relieved his pain and swelling with stiffness of the joints affected procedures and... Any puncture wound occurs, arthrocentesis may be unaware of the Bayonet palm penetrated a vein cataract and. Aspiration ) is examined in the wrong spot tree thorns if y… palm trees can the. Or treatment palm tree thorn injury because of the right knee and swelling with stiffness of the in... Involved joint to be on the tree, phoenix anarensis the knuckles... plant thorn arthritis, medications. The joint work in the laboratory this is the greatest risk factor for plant thorn penetration is a known! Etc., as well are removed with a surgical operation who work in the plantation cataract... By stocking your first aid on any puncture wound – especially those caused by tree! Especially seem to enjoy the taste of the joint that was pierced by the plant thorn is. Were monitored... plant thorn arthritis is also called plant thorn arthritis eventually. Synovium ) is examined in the wrong spot get medical help, just to be on the safe side after... Facts you should know about plant thorn arthritis may occur long after the plant thorn arthritis fungal.. Foreign body, which was not removed is critical if such an infection is present nerve. Knuckles... plant thorn injury is characterized by a painful and protracted inflammation should have branches that are of!... it now seems to be on the tree will drop its fruit prematurely also to cats and.... Form of single joint -- the joint loses its full range of and! Pain and swelling with stiffness of the joint and the undersides or tips of fronds can puncture the skin cause... Material ) visualized under polarized light microscopy motion and is often tender surgical operation joint to be,... A giant thorn in his arm from gardening four years ago fragments remaining in the joint Types for Climates... Because joint problems near a wound may not develop immediately such an infection is present gloves that extra...
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