A needle broke off inside a patient’s chest wall during a procedure with a thoracic surgeon known to be shorttempered. The needle fragment was visible on x-ray, but when the surgeon couldn’t retrieve it after multiple attempts, they became belligerent and said, “That’s it, I’m leaving it.” The technician expressed confidence in the surgeon then suggested inserting a spinal needle to pinpoint the location, then use the needle as a guide to retrieve the fragment. The surgeon nodded approvingly and successfully removed it.