Exposure risk in an urgent care

[para_noid]

Recently we took my son (a toddler) to an urgent care to have a piece of lead from a mechanical pencil removed from his foot. The doctor used a sterile, large gauge needle to cut the skin and proceeded to run the needle over the wound to remove the lead.  The doctor did not wear gloves. I barely had time to register what he was doing, he open the packet for the needle and acted so quickly. Although I did not see him cut or poke his hand, the needle was very sharp and my son was kicking and pulling his foot. Everything happened so quickly, so the doctor could have poked himself without me noticing. My questions are simply: 1) Is there any risk to my son? 2) What is the normal procedure if a doctor cuts himself when seeing a patient?

I know this is not in the usual realm of questions you get, but I trust your judgment.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

I would not worry at all.  EWH

[para_noid]

Dr. Hook - Please forgive the follow up question. Does "very, very low" and "not be too concerned" mean I should not worry at all and put the incident behind me? Thank you for your patience and all the work you do for this forum.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to the Forum.  The chances that the doctor was HIV infected or that he somehow infected your son are very, very low and I would not be too concerned.  Further, the needle used was sterile as you say. If it had been open and re-used that would be another thing.   Doctors typically wear gloves more to protect themselves from their patients than the other way around.  That said, it was incorrect for the doctor to do this without wearing gloves and I would hesitate to return if that is standard practice at this location.  EWH