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Retained intracardiac spring: an unusual foreign body
S S Rana1, N K Jha, T B Gangadhar
1Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
The Indian Journal of Chest Diseases & Allied Sciences
|July 19, 2005
Summary
A rare case details a penetrating intracardiac injury from a ball-point pen. The patient recovered well with conservative management and remained asymptomatic two years post-injury.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Trauma Surgery
- Medical Case Reports
Background:
- Penetrating cardiac injuries are uncommon, with foreign body impalement being exceedingly rare.
- This case highlights a unique mechanism of intracardiac injury involving a common household object.
Observation:
- A retained metal spring from a ball-point pen was found embedded in the interventricular septum of an adult male.
- A metallic pen tip was also identified within the patient's left lung.
- The patient was asymptomatic with no signs of cardiovascular compromise.
Findings:
- The intracardiac foreign body did not result in significant cardiac defects or hemodynamic instability.
- Conservative management was successful in this unique case of penetrating cardiac injury.
- Long-term follow-up demonstrated sustained asymptomatic status for two years.
Implications:
- This case underscores the possibility of asymptomatic intracardiac foreign bodies from seemingly minor trauma.
- It suggests that conservative management may be a viable option for select cases of penetrating cardiac injuries with retained foreign objects.
- Highlights the importance of thorough imaging and evaluation in penetrating trauma, even in asymptomatic patients.