The skin and soft tissue overlying bone in the fingertips of young infants is very thin. The use of a standard lancet can easily damage bone or cause infection.
The thickness of skin and soft tissue overlying the bone is 1.2 to 2.2 mm.
Possible complications following the use of a skin puncture:
(1) bone necrosis
(2) osteomyelitis
(3) cellulitis
(4) ischemic gangrene with loss of part or all of the digit
Because of these risks skin puncture done on the fingers of young infants should be avoided.
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