Multiple Retained Needles in the Chest and Abdomen Due to Self-Injury: A Case Report

Retained needles are rarely observed in multiple locations. Furthermore, although case reports on retained needles have been published, there are no standardized guidelines for managing retained needles. A 42-year-old man with schizophrenia was referred to our hospital for intensive care because of a pericardial effusion and 12 needles from needle pricks being retained in both his chest and abdomen. First, he underwent emergency pericardial drainage. Thereafter, he underwent surgeries to remove a needle from the pericardium on day 7, abdominal needles on day 14, and intrapulmonary needles on day 30. He was transferred to a psychiatric ward on day 36 after it was confirmed that no needles remained in the body. We report a case of multiple needles being retained in multiple locations due to self-injury caused by schizophrenia. Future guidelines are needed to help clinicians manage patients with retained needles.