Distant migration of a broken guide pin following femoral neck fixation: a case report

Kirschner wires are frequently employed in orthopedic procedures. While most complications are minor, rare instances of distant pin migration can occur. Such migration is more prevalent in the shoulder region but has been reported elsewhere. A 50-year-old Persian male with a right femoral neck fract...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of medical case reports 2024-11, Vol.18 (1), p.519-4, Article 519
Main Authors: Amouzadeh Omrani, Farzad, Afzal, Sina, Baroutkoub, Mojtaba, Barati, Hasan, Azadnajafabad, Sina, Keipour, Ali
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bone Nails - adverse effects
Bone Screws - adverse effects
Case Report
Complications
Device Removal
Femoral Neck Fractures - surgery
Foreign-Body Migration - diagnostic imaging
Foreign-Body Migration - surgery
Fracture Fixation, Internal - adverse effects
Guide wire
Humans
Implants, Artificial
Internal fixation in fractures
Kirschner wires
Male
Middle Aged
Pin migration
Prosthesis
Thoracotomy
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Summary:Kirschner wires are frequently employed in orthopedic procedures. While most complications are minor, rare instances of distant pin migration can occur. Such migration is more prevalent in the shoulder region but has been reported elsewhere. A 50-year-old Persian male with a right femoral neck fracture (Garden type IV) underwent closed reduction and internal fixation with three cannulated screws. During the procedure, a guide pin broke and remained lodged. Follow-up radiographs revealed the migrated pin in the patient's chest wall near the 11th rib, necessitating surgical removal via thoracotomy. This case underscores the potential for orthopedic implant migration. While often associated with smaller pins, the risk exists for all sizes. The timeframe for diagnosis varies significantly and in some cases it can be asymptomatic and discovered incidentally.
ISSN:1752-1947
1752-1947
DOI:10.1186/s13256-024-04868-7