[Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for migration of an orthopedic fixation wire in the mediastinum: report of a case].

Migration of an orthopedic fixation wire into the thoracic cavity is an uncommon complication. We present a 64-year-old male undergoing intra-thoracic migration of a Kirschner wire. The patient had undergone the treatment of sternoclavicular joint dislocation due to clavicular fracture. Four months after the operation, a chest X-ray revealed a metallic foreign body in the mediastinum. A chest computed tomography (CT) showed the object in the anterior mediastinum adjacent to the aortic arch. An emergency video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery was successfully performed to remove a 60-mm-long Kirschner wire migrated from the mediastinum to the thoracic cavity. The operating time was 45 minutes, and the blood loss was less than 50 ml. His postoperative course was uneventful and he was discharged at the 6th day after surgery. Prompt diagnosis and surgical removal are necessary to prevent serious complications.