Intra Pulmonary Migration of a Kirschner Wire After Glenohumeral Fixation

Abstract

A 79-year-old asymptomatic woman underwent arthrodesiswith a double K-wire insertion for a posttraumatic invet-erate right glenohumeral dislocation. After removal of thefirst K-wire, chest X-ray showed intrathoracic migration ofthe foreign body, and the CT scan confirmed the pulmonarypenetration of the device within the right upper lobe withintraparenchymal surrounding hematoma (Fig. 1).Although the vital parameters were substantially within therange, the patient underwent urgent surgery. A combinedapproach was attempted: the K-wire was mobilized fromthe glenoid cavity to resect the distal hook and, at the sametime, a right lateral thoracotomy was performed to removesafely the device deeply slipped into the lung and suture theparenchyma (Fig. 2). The postoperative course wasuneventful, and the patient was discharged on the eighthpostoperative day.Improper uses or positioning of K-wires are widelydescribed in the literature and may expose patients toinsidious but potentially life-threatening complications [1];therefore, regular radiological follow-up may be advisablein patients with foreign body at risk of dislodgement intovital structures.