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Background <p> <!--Query ID="Q1" Text="Please check article title if captured and presented correctly. Otherwise, amend if necessary. " Resolved="yes"-->Retained intravascular or intracardiac foreign bodies are rare but well-recognized in the surgical literature. However, delayed septic pulmonary embolism resulting from a retained transcardiac foreign body has not been previously reported.</p> Case description <p> <!--Query ID="Q2" Text="Please check if affiliations were captured and presented correctly. Otherwise, kindly amend if necessary. " Resolved="yes"-->This case report describes a 57-year-old woman who presented with fever and cough for one month and worsening dyspnea over three days. Two years prior, she had been struck by a metallic object from a lawnmower but did not seek medical attention. Chest radiography demonstrated a linear metallic foreign body in the right lower lung field. Transthoracic echocardiography showed a rod-shaped structure confined to the right atrium, with vegetations surrounding the foreign body and extending into the right ventricle. CT angiography was subsequently performed, which identified a metallic foreign body traversing the diaphragm from the liver into the right heart, as well as emboli in the distal branches of the right pulmonary artery. Surgical exploration via median sternotomy confirmed a metallic rod measuring 10 cm in length and 0.5 cm in diameter penetrating the liver, diaphragm, and right atrium. The rod was successfully removed together with the pulmonary emboli. Pathological analysis demonstrated Aspergillus infection. The patient was discharged in stable condition and completed postoperative oral voriconazole therapy.</p> Conclusions <p> <!--Query ID="Q3" Text="Please check if the authors and their affiliation are presented and indicated correctly. Otherwise, amend if necessary. " Resolved="yes"-->Although penetrating cardiac foreign bodies may initially be nonfatal, the present case illustrates their potential for late-onset fungal colonization and embolic complications, highlighting the importance of timely surgical removal and vigilant follow-up.</p>

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Delayed aspergillus endocarditis and septic pulmonary embolism caused by a retained transcardiac foreign body

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月20日

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  • Lu Tong,
  • Cheng Zhou,
  • Nianguo Dong,
  • Fei Li

摘要

Background

Retained intravascular or intracardiac foreign bodies are rare but well-recognized in the surgical literature. However, delayed septic pulmonary embolism resulting from a retained transcardiac foreign body has not been previously reported.

Case description

This case report describes a 57-year-old woman who presented with fever and cough for one month and worsening dyspnea over three days. Two years prior, she had been struck by a metallic object from a lawnmower but did not seek medical attention. Chest radiography demonstrated a linear metallic foreign body in the right lower lung field. Transthoracic echocardiography showed a rod-shaped structure confined to the right atrium, with vegetations surrounding the foreign body and extending into the right ventricle. CT angiography was subsequently performed, which identified a metallic foreign body traversing the diaphragm from the liver into the right heart, as well as emboli in the distal branches of the right pulmonary artery. Surgical exploration via median sternotomy confirmed a metallic rod measuring 10 cm in length and 0.5 cm in diameter penetrating the liver, diaphragm, and right atrium. The rod was successfully removed together with the pulmonary emboli. Pathological analysis demonstrated Aspergillus infection. The patient was discharged in stable condition and completed postoperative oral voriconazole therapy.

Conclusions

Although penetrating cardiac foreign bodies may initially be nonfatal, the present case illustrates their potential for late-onset fungal colonization and embolic complications, highlighting the importance of timely surgical removal and vigilant follow-up.