Objectives: We report a rare case in which an intrapulmonary foreign body underwent a large intraoperative migration.
Method: A 57-year-old man with an intrapulmonary nail in the left S(10) was admitted into our hospital. Since the removal by a flexible bronchoscopy was unsuccessful, a thoracotomy was performed.
Result: Preoperative chest roentgenograms and a bronchoscopy after an endotracheal intubation confirmed that the nail had not migrated. During the operation, however, the nail moved from the periphery of B(10)b to the main bronchus.
Conclusion: It is mandatory to confirm the precise location of a foreign body even during an operation to avoid unnecessary pulmonary resections.