# Successful removal of an intra-pericardic Kirschner wire via fluoroscopy-guided minimal invasive approach: a case report

## TL;DR

A 65-year-old patient had a rare but dangerous Kirschner wire migration into the pericardium, successfully removed using a minimally invasive fluoroscopy-guided method.

## Contribution

Demonstrates a safe, minimally invasive technique for removing intra-pericardial Kirschner wires without major surgery.

## Key findings

- Multimodal imaging and fluoroscopy enabled safe wire extraction.
- The minimally invasive approach avoided the need for median sternotomy.
- The patient had an uncomplicated postoperative recovery.

## Abstract

Kirschner wires are widely used in trauma surgery. Their migration into the pericardium is a rare but often fatal phenomenon, requiring urgent management.

We describe the case of a 65-year-old patient who underwent Kirschner wire placement to treat a humeral head fracture. Three months after the operation, pleural and pericardial effusions with cardiac tamponade were observed, leading to the diagnosis of wire migration within the pericardium. A minimally invasive approach guided by fluoroscopy allowed emergency wire extraction without needing a median sternotomy. The postoperative clinical course was uncomplicated.

The use of pre- and per-operative multimodal imaging allowed for the safe extraction of an intra-pericardial Kirschner wire through a minimally invasive approach.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40792-023-01803-8.