Indian Journal of Emergency Medicine

Background: Snakebite Envenomation is a time-limiting, acute medical emergency and a significant public health hazard in rural and suburban India. Neurotoxic Envenomation, predominantly caused by the Common Krait (Bungarus caeruleus), presents profound diagnostic dilemmas. Because Kraits are nocturnal and possess fine fangs, their bites are frequently painless, lack significant local signs, and can escape the patient’s awareness. When a patient presents with atypical soft tissue swelling or an alternative medical history, significant diagnostic delays and rapid clinical deterioration can occur.

Background: Thoracentesis is a commonly performed diagnostic and therapeutic procedure. Although generally safe, rare complications such as retained foreign bodies may occur. Case Presentation: We describe a case involving a 40-year-old female who presented with fever and progressive dyspnea. Imaging revealed a right-sided pleural effusion. During diagnostic pleural tap using a 16G intravenous (IV) cannula, the catheter fractured, with the proximal two-thirds retained in the chest wall. Immediate point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) and high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) localized the fragment. The retained segment was successfully retrieved surgically under ultrasound guidance, and the patient recovered uneventfully. Conclusion: This report highlights the importance of vigilance during pleural procedures and emphasizes the role of multimodal imaging, particularly POCUS and HRCT, in the safe localization and retrieval of retained foreign bodies