A rare complication of central catheter in an infant with intestinal failure.
OBJECTIVE
To report the successful percutaneous transcatheter removal of a snapped intracardiac fragment of the central vein catheter in an infant.


METHODS
A 3-month-old infant with short bowel syndrome who required long-term parenteral nutrition via portacath central catheter was hospitalized. Two months after the insertion of the second catheter, the distal tip of the catheter snapped and became tangled in the heart. The catheter fragment was removed by a percutaneous femoral vein approach using a 10-mm diameter snare-loop catheter (Amplatz). The procedure was performed under fluoroscopy; the fragment was removed after being released into the right ventricle by pulling the proximal tip with a pigtail catheter. No complications were observed and the patient was transported back to the intensive unit in stable condition.


CONCLUSIONS
Central catheter-related complications may cause difficulties in patients with short bowel syndrome prior to intestinal transplantation. The percutaneous retrieval of the fragmented catheter using a snare-loop catheter is a safe and reliable technique and may be used instead of surgery especially in small infants.
Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey. muratcak@hotmail.com
Murat
M
Cakir
Erturk
E
Levent
Hasan Ali
HA
Yuksekkaya
Orkan
O
Ergun
Funda
F
Ozgenc
Rasit Vural
RV
Yagci
D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation; D004868:Equipment Failure; D006801:Humans; D007049:Iatrogenic Disease; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010288:Parenteral Nutrition; D012778:Short Bowel Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology*