title: Knotting of intracardiac flow-directed balloon catheter. Simple surgical method of removal.
abstract: A complete knot occurred in a 7F flow-directed balloon catheter inserted through the right internal jugular vein. The patient was intubated and placed under positive pressure ventilation. After gaining surgical exposure of the venipuncture site, a purse-string of Prolene 4--0 suture was placed around it. The patient was placed in the Trendelenburg position and the knotted catheter withdrawn, while the purse-string suture was immediately tightened avoiding uncontrollable hemorrhage or massive air embolism.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002404:Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007601:Jugular Veins / Q000601:surgery*; D008722:Methods; D011651:Pulmonary Artery