Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for migration of a Kirschner wire in the spinal canal: a case report and literature review.

Orthopedic wires and pins are regularly used for the treatment of dislocations and bone fractures. Migration of these metallic fixation devices into the spinal canal is an uncommon complication. We present a 35-year-old man who underwent thoracic spinal canal migration of a Kirschner wire. The patient had undergone treatment of acromioclavicular joint dislocation with Kirschner wire fixation. Two months after the operation, a chest radiograph showed a Kirschner wire in the thoracic cavity. Chest computed tomography (CT) showed the object extended transversely across the spinal canal. Emergency video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) was successfully performed to remove the Kirschner wire without any complication. The patient made an uneventful recovery and was discharged on the seventh day after surgery. In our opinion, it is important to pay attention to the migration of metallic fixation devices. Surgical removal of such migrated devices is necessary for preventing disastrous consequences. VATS is a safe and effective treatment in such cases.