title: Hickman catheter malposition in central venous tributaries: an avoidable error?
abstract: We report three cases of erroneous positioning of Hickman catheters into central venous tributaries. The malposition was not diagnosed intraoperatively because of proximity of such veins to the superior vena cava. Suspicion of misplacement raised by early postoperative catheter malfunction should allow for correction by percutaneous vascular catheters.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Ga.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Koretz
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Styblo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004868:Equipment Failure; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010496:Pericardium / Q000473:pathology; D013909:Thorax / Q000098:blood supply; D014680:Veins / Q000473:pathology; D016748:Venous Cutdown / Q000009:adverse effects