Case report:
A 33-year-old male presented to our hospital with a broken needle in his
left arm after a trial of self-drug injection. His first complaint was
left shoulder pain where the needle was detected on shoulder X-ray after
examination by orthopaedic surgeons.
Under fluoroscopic guidance, a trial of removal by the vascular surgeons
was done (Figure 1); however, the needle was embolized. A chest X-ray
showed the needle in the right lung. (Figure 2)
A chest contrast-enhanced CT scan was done and revealed the needle
embedded in the right lower lung lobe. (Figure 4) There was no evidence
of venous thromboembolism or infarction and no detectable pericardial
effusion.
The decision was made to manage the case conservatively because the
patient complained from chest pain localized to the right side, which
was controlled by analgesics. The patient was discharged in low dose
Aspirin, and there were no complications reported after six months of
follow-up.