Fishhook Removal
Not surprisingly, this is a common procedure at YKHC and is often addressed via RMT. There are multiple strategies for removing fishhooks. My favorite is the push-through method: (1) use lidocaine to numb an area adjacent to the fishhook (2) push the hook through the anesthetized region until the barb is visible (3) cut the barb off with nail scissors or bone cutters (4) back the fishhook through the entrance wound. This is a simple technique which does not require technical proficiency and can be performed by CHAs.
Other options for removal include the retrograde technique, in which the fishhook is simply backed out in-plane to its angle of entry, the string-yank technique, in which a line is attached to the hook to guide removal, and the needle-cover method, in which an 18-gauge hypodermic needle is used to cover the barb of the fishhook.
