title: Successful transradial retrieval of broken catheter fragment during transradial coronary angiography.
abstract: Intravascular fracture of angiographic catheters is very uncommon, but it happens. Removal of an intravascular foreign body may require surgical intervention or non-surgical retrieval necessitating additional vascular access (mostly via femoral artery). We describe a case in which the diagnostic catheter was broken. We were able to pass two guidewires (0.035-inch guidewire and 0.014-inch standard percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty guidewire) through the fragment. The 0.014-inch guidewire twirled, winding around the 0.035-inch wire, and the catheter fragment was retrieved successfully through the radial sheath.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, St. Vincent's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Paldal-ku, Suwon, Gyunggi-do, 442-723, South Korea.
authors.forename: Ji-Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Gee-Hee
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Keon-Woong
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Moon
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000295:instrumentation*; D001366:Axillary Artery; D057785:Catheters; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male