3. Granuloma formation induced by spines of cactus, Opuntia acanthocarpa. Shofner JD, Kimball AB. Cowboy or no, you haven't lived until you've pulled a cholla spine out of your forehead with a pair of needle-nose pliers. According to the patient, she removed 5 or 6 spines with tweezers before presenting to the emergency room (ER) at Mercy Hospital and Trauma Center (Janesville, Wisconsin) with persistent and progressive pain and swelling to the knee about 10 hours post injury. This is the perfect handmade costume opportunity for any parents with a hand-holding child. J Dermatol. Report of an unusual case initially seen with rows of yellow haris. These six unusual plants can add an international flair to your garden. More detailed information about the symptoms, causes, and treatments of Candelabra cactus poisoning is available below. The cigar-shaped segments are very weakly jointed, so that they break off at the slightest pressure. 2. The case of multiple barrel cactus spine injuries with severe pain and swelling is presented herein as well as a review of the treatment options and complications of cactus spine injuries. Although an individual’s initial response is to pull the glochidium from the injured skin, this may leave residual materials or embedded fractured spines that can lead to prolonged symptoms and secondary sequelae. Others may induce an immunologic reaction called allergic contact dermatitis and include plant oils, metals, cleaning solutions, cosmetic additives, perfumes, industrial chemicals, topical a… Table 1 presents various options for removal. Some of the most common symptoms are. Usually beginning in infancy, this red, itchy rash usually occurs where the skin flexes — inside the elbows, behind the knees and in front of the neck. She performed an immediate self-removal of the glochidia with tweezers and experienced marked erythema and discomfort within 8 to 10 hours following the injury. Cactus spine injuries to the skin are usually treated by removing the visible spines and applying a topical corticosteroid. Cactus skin injuries. Penetrating injuries can introduce pathogenic microorganisms into the wound. Case in point: I assumed my ex (my then-husband) was exaggerating when he said his skin itched like crazy. Lidocaine with epinephrine was administered to the wounded area in the ER. Such substances are toxic to the skin and are termed primary irritants. An 18-year-old Caucasian woman fell into a barrel cactus and had multiple spines embedded in and around her right knee. Dermatitis is an inflammation of the skin. Symptoms of dermatitis may vary depending on the type and the area affected. See if any of these cacti varieties prick your interest. Whitaker JK, Bailey KG. 2007;79(3):208–210. Succulents are xerophytes, or plants adapted to arid climates, whose storage structures hold water to enable survival of the plant in severe droughts. If the offending spine or foreign material is not removed or only partially removed, then within 24 to 72 hours papules and a black puncture site “dot” may develop and glisten as well as become erythematous at the injured site. 6. Removal by oral suction is never advised as glochidia may then imbed in the mouth. Enterobacter and Nocardia have also been cultured. 2008;43(8):e33–e35. The barrel cactus group contains more than 30 species and is found across the Southwest United States and Northern Mexico. Itching, which may be severe 3. Dortort F. The Timber Press Guide to Succulent Plants of the World: A Comprehensive Reference to More than 2000 Species. 2000;19(6):490–491. After the glue has dried, removal of the pad and underlying glochidia has proven as effective a method for spine removal as any approach. Cactus spine injuries. Mother Nature was perfect in her design of this cactus — also dubbed "jumping cholla" — because the spines seem to leap into anything that comes close enough. Portland, OR: Timber Press; 2005. At the end of the 30 days, a granulomatous nodule (lump) in the punctured area remained but slowly healed several months later. Cutis. Symptoms. Once the fungal conidia (spores) are moved into the skin via thorns, scrapes, or other mechanisms, the disease takes days to months to develop. Suzuki H, Baba S. Cactus granuloma of the skin. This causes the skin to become inflamed, red, dry, bumpy and itchy. Figures 1 and 2 show the wound presentation. Just remember to step lightly around all cacti ... and keep your hands to yourself. J Pediatr Surg. 4. Raymond A. Dieter, Jr, MD, MS Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Mosby; 2012: 1232–1251. 1980;37(12):849–851. There it irritates surrounding tissue until the body finally absorbs the material. Irritant Dermatitis. She did show slow, steady improvement and achieved full wound healing 5 months post injury. A case of acute keratoconjunctivitis from exposure to latex of Euphorbia tirucalli (pencil cactus) [published online ahead of print August 29, 2007]. While visually appealing, cactus plants also cause numerous injuries with their sharp spines to unsuspecting admirers 1.Whether you are on a hike or simply have an unfortunate run in with a house cactus, treating your injuries is critical to preventing infection 1. Candelabra cactus poisoning: The Candelabra cactus is a spiny cactus with a milky sap. Removal of the offending spine is difficult, even with tweezers.Case. In susceptible individuals, it causes the skin condition "agave dermatitis." Cactus thorn embedded in the cartilaginous proximal tibia. From the Northwestern System at Cadence Health (Emeritus), Hospital, Glen Ellyn, IL; Child Development, Whitehouse Grading LLC, Muskego, WI; and Student University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Whitewater, WI, Address correspondence to: Karpman RR, Spark RP, Fried M. Cactus thorn injuries to the extremities: their management and etiology. Patient presented to the emergency room at Mercy Hospital and Trauma Center (Janesville, Wisconsin), where spine removal was unsuccessful. Signs and symptoms of different types of dermatitis include: 1. However, there is limited clinical information to support these uses. The actual cause of this reaction has been theorized to be an allergic, toxic, or plant material-related with infectious or inflammatory characteristics.3,4 These lesions may culture numerous organisms on ulceration, including Mycobacterium marinum, Staphylococcus aureus, and Clostridium tetani. © 2020 Discovery or its subsidiaries and affiliates. Discussion Cactus dermatitis is the adverse skin reaction occurring from contact with cacti.