title: Transmediastinal migration of Kirschner wire.
abstract: The authors describe a case of transmediastinal migration, and lodging into the right lung, of a Kirschner wire used to fix a fracture of the left clavicle. The medical literature reports cases of intrathoracic migration of Kirschner wire; however, a transmediastinal migration has not been previously described. A small right thoracotomy was performed and the wire was removed without complications. We discuss aspects of this uncommon finding and alert physicians for the potential risks of the migration of metallic pins used to fixate boney structures within the chest.
authors.affiliation: Thoracic Surgery, Jundiaí Medical College, Jundiai, Sao Paulo, Brazil. evmarchi@uol.com.br
authors.forename: Evaldo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marchi
authors.forename: Marcio P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Reis
authors.forename: Marcus V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Carvalho
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000328:Adult; D001864:Bone Wires / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002968:Clavicle / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D005548:Foreign-Body Migration / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008482:Mediastinum; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D013906:Thoracoscopy; D013908:Thoracotomy; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome