Uncommon Iatrogenic Pneumothorax caused by Migration of a K-wire into the Pleural Cavity

ABSTRACT

Iatrogenic pneumothorax is occasionally caused by invasive medical or surgical procedures in the chest that include fine needle aspiration biopsy, placing a central venous catheter, or insertion of a pleural drain. A 19-year-old male was admitted due to persistent pleuritic right-side chest pain after operation on a fractured clavicle by K-wire. He did not complain of dyspnea or coughing but had experienced chest pain for several days. On physical examination, the patient's breathing sound was slightly decreased in the right lung field. A Chest X-ray was taken, revealing a small degree of pneumothorax at the right apex and an approximately 9 cm-sized linear metallic foreign body at the diaphragm level. A chest CT was then taken, and on lung setting view the object was seen to extend from the right retrocrural space, penetrating the diaphragm and right lung parenchyme, to the IVC and a minimal hemopneumothorax at right. The patient was operated on in the thoracic surgery department for the purpose of simple removal of the foreign body (K-wire). Afterward, he was discharged without specific complaints on the 8th day from admission. In summary, we report a case of uncommon iatrogenic pneumothorax caused by migration of a K-wire into the pleural cavity.