Migration of a Needle From the Chest Wall Into the Right Ventricle in a 10-Year-Old Child

World J Pediatr Congenit Heart Surg. 2016 Nov;7(6):761-764. doi: 10.1177/2150135115609538. Epub 2016 Feb 16.

Abstract

Cardiac foreign bodies are rare in children and the nature or timing of the injury may be hard to ascertain. We report a case of a 10-year-old boy who presented with a 28-mm solid core needle in the left chest wall that advanced into his right ventricle, possibly from soft tissue manipulation. Computed tomography, intraoperative fluoroscopy, and echocardiography were necessary to locate the needle and successfully remove it surgically.

Keywords: foreign body; myocardial injury; pediatric; penetrating; right; trauma; ventricle.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Video-Audio Media

MeSH terms

  • Cardiac Surgical Procedures / methods*
  • Child
  • Echocardiography
  • Fluoroscopy
  • Foreign-Body Migration / diagnosis*
  • Foreign-Body Migration / surgery
  • Heart Injuries / diagnosis*
  • Heart Injuries / surgery
  • Heart Ventricles / injuries*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Needles*
  • Needlestick Injuries / diagnosis*
  • Needlestick Injuries / surgery
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed