title: Percutaneous retrieval of foreign bodies from the cardiovascular system.
abstract: We report our experience of seven patients referred to our hospital with foreign bodies embolized in the cardiovascular system, namely fragmented catheters and devices used in interventional techniques, which were retrieved by a percutaneous approach. The patients' ages ranged from 2 to 29 years, with a mean age of 17. The majority (57%) were male. The retrieval equipment used included a pigtail catheter, multipurpose catheter with hand-prepared snare, Amplatz gooseneck snare, nitinol multisnare set and basket catheter. The foreign bodies were successfully removed percutaneously in all cases, with no complications.
authors.affiliation: Unidade de Cardiologia Pediátrica e Serviço de Imagiologia, Hospitais da Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal. dinate@portugalmail.pt
authors.forename: Dina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: António
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sá e Melo
authors.forename: António Marinho
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: Vítor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Carvalheiro
authors.forename: Otero
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Manuel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001808:Blood Vessels; D002404:Catheterization / Q000379:methods; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D020878:Device Removal / Q000379:methods; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000628:therapy*; D006321:Heart; D006801:Humans