Intrathoracic hooked wire migration managed by minimally invasive thoracoscopic surgery

Area of Science:

• Medical procedures
• Surgical complications
• Thoracic surgery

Background:

• Needle-guided localization wires are standard for non-palpable breast lesions.
• Wire migration is a rare but serious complication.
• This report details an intrathoracic wire migration case.

Observation:

• A 41-year-old female experienced intrathoracic wire migration.
• The migrated wire was successfully removed using video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS).
• Literature review indicates thoracoscopy as a minimally invasive and effective approach.

Findings:

• Hooked wire removal via thoracoscopy is effective and minimally invasive for stable cases.
• Even asymptomatic wire migration necessitates treatment and device removal.
• Less invasive approaches require careful risk assessment and timing.

Implications:

• Loss of a hooked wire can cause significant damage.
• All migrated devices must be located and removed.
• VATS is a viable option for stable patients requiring wire removal and lesion assessment.