title: Needle embolus causing cardiac puncture and chronic constrictive pericarditis.
abstract: We present a case in which a needle broke off during intravenous injection and embolized to the right heart. After cardiac perforation, the needle entered the pericardial space and ultimately caused chronic constrictive pericarditis, which presented as congestive heart failure. Pericardectomy and removal of the foreign body via a median sternotomy were successful. Early surgical removal of contaminated intrapericardial foreign bodies remains a safe and effective approach to preventing such complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Ben Taub General Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: LeMaire
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Wall
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Mattox
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000209:etiology; D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004617:Embolism / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000209:etiology; D006335:Heart Injuries / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation; D009339:Needles / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010492:Pericardiectomy; D010494:Pericarditis, Constrictive / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000209:etiology; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections; D013249:Sternum / Q000601:surgery; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous; D013908:Thoracotomy