title: [Intravascular migration of fragments of central venous catheters. 3 cases].
abstract: Intravascular embolization of catheter fragments is a severe and rare complication of indwelling intravenous catheters. The estimated rate of incidence is 0,1% of central venous catheter insertions. This report of three cases shows how this complication may occur and suggests preventive measures. Mortality from arrhythmia-related cardiac arrest, septic and thrombo-embolic complications, and the risk of perforation of the heart argue for an immediate extraction of the broken catheter. Surgical removal used to be the only method; a non-surgical technique is now available, in which the embolized fragment is removed by means of a loop snare. No death has been associated with this technique which seems to be safe and reliable.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004617:Embolism / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000628:therapy*; D005548:Foreign-Body Migration / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D013479:Superior Vena Cava Syndrome / Q000209:etiology; D014680:Veins
vernacular_title: Migration intravasculaire de fragments de cathéters veineux centraux. Trois observations.