In the sport of fishing, barbed fishhooks often are used for their effectiveness in maintaining the fish on the hook once it is caught. However, if a fishhook is implanted in the skin of a fisherman or fisherwoman, a barb can pose problems in removing the fishhook without exacerbating internal injury, a common fear among outpatient physicians. We describe the case of a patient who presented to the dermatology clinic with a barbed fishhook injury and discuss several simple methods for barbed fishhook removal that can be easily utilized in the outpatient setting. Because failing to treat the patient may lead to further discomfort and increased risk for complications, practitioners should be familiar with the removal methods described here, as they are not time consuming and do not require complex equipment. Furthermore, these techniques may be useful for removal of other foreign bodies embedded in cutaneous tissue (eg, splinters).
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