title: Transluminal removal of a fractured and embolized indwelling central venous catheter in the pulmonary artery.
abstract: Vascular catheters are associated with complications such as infection, thrombosis and stenosis. The embolization of a venous catheter fragment is a rare complication. A 39-year-old woman underwent placement of a totally implantable venous access device for chemotherapy to treat a recurrent liposarcoma of the left thigh. The "pinch-off sign" was noted on a routine chest X-ray but that was ignored. Three-months after implantation of the intravenous access device, the indwelling central catheter was fractured and embolized to the pulmonary trunk. The catheter in the pulmonary trunk was successfully removed through a percutaneous femoral vein approach using a pigtail catheter and goose neck snare.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Kosin University Gospel Hospital, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: O Kil
authors.initials: OK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Su Hong
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jong Bin
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Woo Seong
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.forename: Sung Hwan
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Jo
authors.forename: Jee Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ji Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Ko
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004617:Embolism / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005260:Female; D005548:Foreign-Body Migration / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008080:Liposarcoma / Q000188:drug therapy; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D013848:Thigh / Q000473:pathology