Intrathoracic Migration of a Broken Safety Pin Which Penetrated the Posterior Thoracic Wall

We report a 2-year old girl who had fallen down on an open safety pin. The safety pin was broken during attempted removal and a 1.5 cm length of pin remained. The fragment migrated into the lower lobe of the left lung. The pin was removed through a mini-thoracotomy, though the patient was asymptomatic. Potential complications and hazards of metallic foreign bodies which remain in the thoracic cavity are discussed.