Self-insertion of needles: An unusual cause of empyema thoracis and its thoracoscopic management

Abstract

Intrapulmonary aberrant needles are rare in clinical practice. Most common cause till date is the intra-thoracic migration of pins and wires commonly used in treatment of fractures and dislocations of upper extremity. Some cases of traumatic intra-thoracic insertion of needles have also been reported. We report a patient of empyema thoracis due to unusual habit of self-insertion of needles in his body because of some myth. The patient was successfully managed by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery.

Keywords

• Empyema thoracic
• intra-thoracic needles
• video assisted thoracoscopic surgery