Unusual Needle Migration into the Heart of a Pediatric Patient

Noor Mohamad Noori; Seyed Hosein  Soleimanzadeh Mousavi; Changiz  Azadi Ahmadabadi

doi:10.18502/jthc.v16i1.6599

Noor Mohamad Noori Children and Adolescents Health Research Center, Ali-Ibn-Abitaleb Hospital, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran.
Seyed Hosein Soleimanzadeh Mousavi Ali-Ibn-Abitaleb Hospital, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran
Changiz Azadi Ahmadabadi Ali-Ibn-Abitaleb Hospital, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/jthc.v16i1.6599

Keywords: Needles; Echocardiography; Foreign-body migration; Heart ventricles

Abstract

Sharp-object penetration into the chest is rare and may lead to life-threatening complications, hence the significance of early detection and removal. We present an uncommon case of the accidental penetration of a sewing needle into the chest of a 5-year-old girl, with the needle traveling from the entrance site to the right ventricle through the lung tissue. Due to the possibility of cardiovascular accidents, the patient was transferred to a special ward. For positioning and correct actions, TTE and CT scan of the chest with and without contrast were performed and the presence of a tangential needle with the right ventricular wall and inside the pericardium was reported. The patient was taken to the operating room, and after exploring, a 2 cm needle was inserted into the right ventricle and removed. The patient was discharged after 5 days.