Removal of Unusual Foreign Metal Object (Nail) from the Right Ventricle of Human Heart: A Case Report

Abstract

Migration of foreign bodies (FB) with the blood flow to the heart is a rare, but very alarming condition as it may lead to life-threatening complications and death. Objects that are larger than 5 mm in diameter and/or irregular in shape are recommended for removal from extra- and intracardiac areas to prevent incurable embolization. Surgical extraction of intracardiac objects is a serious surgical challenge associated with difficulties to operate, during the continuous movement of the heart, and identify the exact FB location. Early diagnosis and timely removal of FBs are crucial treatment factors for this rare case resolution. We report a case of accidental migration of a metal FB object (nail) about 1.0*0.3 cm from the right neck area jugular vein to the right ventricle apex in the heart. The FB localization was accurately detected using Bi-plane transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) with a special comet-tail artifact. TEE provided valuable information before surgery, and the nail was successfully removed through open-heart surgical procedures and cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Postoperative tests indicated no complications.