title: Spontaneous Fracture and Migration of a Totally Implanted Port Device to Pulmonary Artery in Acute Leukemia Child.
abstract: Totally implanted port devices are important for the administration of fluid and chemotherapeutic agents. However, their use may be associated with serious complications, such as catheter fracture and embolism. Most data on port catheter embolization consist of isolated case reports. We report a 6-year-old boy with relapse of an acute lymphoblastic leukemia. He presented with dysfunction of his totally implanted port device. Radiologic examination revealed a catheter fracture. Echocardiography showed the catheter embolized into the right ventricle. The catheter was successfully removed from the right ventricle by percutaneous endovascular intervention. During the procedure, it was observed that the catheter fragment was located in the pulmonary artery. Catheter embolism may go undiagnosed for a prolonged period; however, severe systemic clinical signs may develop. Any implanted catheter should be removed after completion of treatment, or should be checked regularly for this complication by periodic standard chest x-ray monitoring.
authors.affiliation: Departments of *Hematology †Cardiology ‡Pediatic Surgery, Hospital Hedi Chaker, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Olfa
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kassar
authors.forename: Rania
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hammami
authors.forename: Mahdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ben Dhaou
authors.forename: Samir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kammoun
authors.forename: Moez
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Elloumi
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002648:Child; D020878:Device Removal; D004452:Echocardiography; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005548:Foreign-Body Migration / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D013350:Subclavian Vein