Intrathoracic hooked wire migration managed by minimally invasive thoracoscopic surgery.

Background

Needle-guided localization wire is widely used to locate non-palpable breast lesion before surgery. A rare complication of this technique is wire migration. We report a case of an intrathoracic hooked wire migration in a 41-year-old female treated by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS).

Methods

We report a recent patient history and we review the cases reported in the literature.

Results

Hook removal by thoracoscopy seemed to be the less invasive and most effective approach for this stable case. Even asymptomatic migration should be treated, and the device removed. The less invasive approach can be considered after estimating the risk and best possible timing.

Conclusion

The loss of a hooked wire can lead to dramatic lesions. In every case, the device must be found or, if not, migration ruled out. The hooked wire must be removed, and the timing and the approach must be adapted to each case. VATS should be considered, in a stable patient to assess the lesions, to treat them and to remove the device.