Extraction of a fractured central venous catheter – Full Text

"We present the case of a 44-year-old woman with a fractured catheter from a prior insertion for buccal mucosa carcinoma. Fluoroscopy revealed the fragment in the right atrium, and it was successfully retrieved via a percutaneous endovascular approach using a snare, without immediate complications" Pande et al (2025).

"We present the case of a 44-year-old woman with a fractured catheter from a prior insertion for buccal mucosa carcinoma. Fluoroscopy revealed the fragment in the right atrium, and it was successfully retrieved via a percutaneous endovascular approach using a snare, without immediate complications" Pande et al (2025).

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Extraction of a fractured central venous catheter

Abstract:

Fracture and migration of a central venous catheter is an uncommon but serious complication. Fragments can embolize to the right atrium or ventricle, potentially causing life-threatening arrhythmias, pseudoaneurysms, perforations, or thromboembolism. We present the case of a 44-year-old woman with a fractured catheter from a prior insertion for buccal mucosa carcinoma. Fluoroscopy revealed the fragment in the right atrium, and it was successfully retrieved via a percutaneous endovascular approach using a snare, without immediate complications. This case highlights the efficacy and safety of endovascular retrieval for such critical events.

Reference:

Pande A, Debbarma D, Samanta A, Das S, Datta S. Percutaneous Endovascular Extraction of a Fractured Central Line Catheter From the Intracardiac Space Utilizing a Snare: A Case Report. Cureus. 2025 Dec 3;17(12):e98416. doi: 10.7759/cureus.98416. PMID: 41487761; PMCID: PMC12759105.