Abstract

Background: Although uncommon, migration of wires to solid organs or body cavities has been reported in the literature with potentially lethal complications. Wire migration into the lung is rare. Case presentation: Herein, we report a case of a 26-year-old woman with Kirschner wire migration from the right shoulder to the thorax, piercing through the upper lobe of the right lung with hemopneumothorax and atelectasis. The wire was later removed through thoracotomy approach. The postoperative course was significant about an acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) managed successfully. Conclusion: As the migration of wires during orthopedic surgery can occurred with severe complications, they should be used cautiously and followed closely when inserted. A migrated Kirschner wire into the lung can be a challenging case for physicians especially in postoperative period.

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