Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2015 Apr 26:10:61.
doi: 10.1186/s13019-015-0268-z.

Scarf pin inhalation: clinical characteristics and surgical treatment

Hicham Fenane  1 , Mohammed Bouchikh  2   3 , Khalid Bouti  4 , Mehdi El Maidi  5 , Fahd Ouchen  6 , Tchely-Oaly Mbola  7 , Lamboni Damessane  8 , Abdellah Achir  9   10 , Abdellatif Benosman  11   12
Affiliations

Scarf pin inhalation: clinical characteristics and surgical treatment

Hicham Fenane et al. J Cardiothorac Surg. .

Abstract
in English, French

Objective: Scarf pin inhalation is becoming a frequent accident among young Moroccan woman who wears islamic veil. The aim of the study is to highlight indications, principles and challenges of surgical removal of that particular foreign body.

Methods: Twenty-eight patients were hospitalized in Thoracic Surgery department of Ibn Sina Hospital at Rabat between January 2008 and June 2013 for surgical removal of a pin scarf after unsuccessful endoscopy.

Results: Mean age was 20 years. Inhalation was accidental in all cases. Average interval between inhalation and surgery was 10 days. Penetration syndrome was found in 82% of patients. Pin was located at the left tracheo-bronchial tree in 53.5% of cases and at the right one in 46.4%. All were operated by thoracotomy. Surgery was conservative in all cases, and postoperative course was uneventful.

Conclusion: In case of failure endoscopic treatment, surgery remains the only alternative. It must be as conservative as possible. Short interval between inhalation accident and surgery prevents parenchymal resection.

Introduction: L’inhalation d’épingle à foulard est un accident de plus en plus fréquent chez la jeune femme marocaine qui porte le voile islamique. Le but de ce travail est de mettre le point sur indications, les principes et les difficultés de la chirurgie de ce corps étranger particulier.

Méthodes: Vingt-huit patientes étaient hospitalisées au service de Chirurgie Thoracique de l’hôpital Ibn Sina de Rabat entre janvier 2008 et juin 2013 pour extraction chirurgicale d’une épingle à foulard après échec de l’endoscopie.

Résultats: La moyenne d’âge était de 20ans. L’inhalation était accidentelle dans tous les cas. Le délai moyen entre l’inhalation et la chirurgie était de 10 jours. Le syndrome de pénétration était retrouvé chez 82% des patientes. L’épingle était localisée au niveau de l’arbre trachéo-bronchique gauche dans 53,5% des cas et à droite dans 46,4% des cas. La voie d’abord était une thoracotomie et aucune résection parenchymateuse n'était nécessaire.

Conclusion: La chirurgie ne doit être une alternative au traitement endoscopique qu’en cas d’échec de ce dernier. Elle se doit d’être conservatrice autant que possible. Le court délai entre l’accident d’inhalation et la chirurgie permet d’éviter les résections parenchymateuses.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Chest radiograph showing a pin located in left superior lobar bronchus.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Removal of scarf pin by pneumotomy.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Hebbazi A, Afif H, El Khattabi W, Aichane A, Bouayad Z. Scarf pin: a new intrabronchial foreign body. Rev Mal Respir. 2010;27:724–8. doi: 10.1016/j.rmr.2010.06.021. - DOI - PubMed
    1. El Koraïchi A, Mokhtari M, El Haddoury M, El Kettani SE. Rigid bronchoscopy for pin extraction in children at the Children’s Hospital in Rabat, Morocco. Rev Pneumol Clin. 2011;67:309–13. doi: 10.1016/j.pneumo.2010.11.003. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Hasdiraz L, Bicer C, Bilgin M, Oguzkaya F. Turban pin aspiration: non-asphyxiating tracheobronchial foreign body in young islamic women. Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2006;54:273–5. doi: 10.1055/s-2006-923954. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Arsalane A, Zidane A, Atoini F, Traibi A, Kabiri EH. The surgical extraction of foreign bodies after the inhalation of a scarf pin: two cases. Rev Pneumol Clin. 2009;65:293–6. doi: 10.1016/j.pneumo.2009.02.004. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Zaghba N, Benjelloun H, Bakhatar A, Yassine N, Bahlaoui A. Scarf pin: an intrabronchial foreign body who is not unusual. Rev Pneumol Clin. 2013;69:65–9. doi: 10.1016/j.pneumo.2012.09.003. - DOI - PubMed