The man, a tutor, was on his way to work when the incident occurred. After receiving initial first aid, he returned home, but his wound worsened, becoming increasingly swollen, painful, and oozing. The pain forced him to stop working, cutting off his income. Self-medicating and changing the bandages proved ineffective, leading him to seek professional medical help.

On 19/9, Dr. Tran Hoa, Head of the Burns and Orthopedic Trauma Department at Saigon General Hospital, reported that an X-ray revealed a foreign object deep within the man's right foot, requiring immediate surgery. The surgical team extracted a 1 x 0.8 cm piece of hard plastic – the source of the two-month ordeal of pain and infection. Five days post-surgery, the wound had dried, the swelling subsided, and the patient was walking normally, anticipating an imminent discharge from the hospital.

"I assumed it was just a superficial wound and would heal with medication. I never imagined a piece of plastic was lodged inside my foot," the patient said.

A doctor examines the patient's surgical wound. Photo: *Hospital*

Dr. Hoa advises anyone with a wound that becomes increasingly swollen, painful, or infected to seek immediate medical attention at a higher-level healthcare facility for accurate diagnosis and treatment. Avoid self-treating, changing bandages without professional guidance, or relying solely on over-the-counter medications, as these actions can exacerbate the condition, prolong infection, and potentially become life-threatening.

Le Phuong