Minimally invasive retrieval of a foreign body after penetrating lung injury.

Minimally invasive techniques are increasingly used in the management of trauma victims. We report the case of a young man in a motor vehicle crash who sustained a penetrating wound to the anterior left chest caused by the automobile stick shift. Subsequent imaging demonstrated a large foreign body in the left lung. The foreign body was removed successfully by videothoracoscopy, and the patient made a full recovery. This case demonstrates the inroads that minimally invasive surgery is making in care of the injured and highlights an excellent technique for dealing with pulmonary foreign bodies.