Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 4, 2026

Delivery of Cardioactive Therapeutics in a Porcine Myocardial Infarction Model
Published on: February 10, 2023
Penetrating cardiac injury following sewing needle ingestion
Sanju Sobnach1, Franco Castillo, René Blanco Vinent
1Department of General Surgery, Kimberley Hospital Complex, Du Toitspan Road, Kimberley 8300, South Africa. sanjusobnach@hotmail.com
Abstract:
Penetrating cardiac injuries are common in South Africa. Reports describing traumatic lesions to the heart caused by caudo-cranial migration of ingested foreign bodies are however extremely rare. Delayed presentation and intervention are associated with poor outcome in these patients; cardiac tamponade remains the most serious complication. We present the case of a 19 year-old man who sustained a left ventricular injury after intentionally swallowing eight sewing needles. The impacted needle was removed through a median sternotomy and the patient recovered uneventfully.
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