Neck needle foreign bodies - An added risk for autopsy pathologists

The risk to pathologists of contracting diseases due to cuts or needles pun ctures while performing autopsies is well known. An additional risk is an a ccidental needle puncture due to retained needle fragments within the subcu taneous tissues or internal organs of intravenous drug addicts. We report 4 cases of drug addicted patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus who came to autopsy and had retained needle fragments within their cervica l-clavicular soft tissues. The presence of retained needle fragments increa ses the risk to the autopsy pathologist of accidental needle puncture and e xposure to disease. Because of this phenomenon, the pathologist should take precautions in addition to those currently prescribed when performing auto psies on possible drug abusers.