Minor Injuries
Splinter hemorrhage is a rare but serious complication of minor injuries when splinters cause deep skin lesions. The lesions are usually small and painless and can be caused by several different types of injuries. The risk of splinter hemorrhage increases if the injury occurs on the hands or feet.
Splinters can cause this complication because they penetrate tiny blood vessels in the skin and break them. As red blood cells leak outside the vessels and accumulate, they form a bump or hematoma that looks like a splinter under the skin. Splinters tend to be sharp and jagged when they enter the body, but they can also become dull over time as they rub against tissues or other materials.
