Case 3: Retrieval of a broken catheter from the right atrium. Ken U. Ekechukwu, MD, MPH, FACP.

Foreign bodies such as guide wires and catheters sometimes break off and travel through the blood stream from where they were placed originally to another site. When this happens they should be removed from the body if it is safe to do so. This man had the leading end of his central venous catheter pinched off by his right clavicle (or collar bone). The free piece of the catheter dropped into the right atrium and folded up there.

I ran a retrieval set from his right groin to his right atrium, snared the catheter and removed it. He did well afterwards.

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