Journal of JCIC

An implantable central venous catheter is widely used for long-term central venous access. Serious complications include spontaneous fracture and migration of the implanted port catheter, which necessitates intervention. ‹case 1› A 8-year-old boy with hemophilia A, who had undergone placement of a 6.6 Fr implantable central venous catheter 4 years before, complained swelling in his right chest during intravenous injection via the port. A chest X-ray showed the migration of the fractured catheter in the pulmonary artery. The fractured catheter was captured at its end in the left pulmonary artery using a snare catheter and retrieved inside a 10 Fr sheath introducer via a percutaneous transfemoral approach without any complications. ‹case 2› A 5-year-old girl with neuroblastoma underwent placement of an implantable a 6.6 Fr central venous catheter 1 year before. A chest X-ray and echocardiography showed the fractured catheter migrated into the right atrium from the right subclavian vein. The end of the fractured catheter in the right subclavian vein was unable to be captured. The fractured catheter was pushed into the inferior vena cava using a 5 Fr pigtail catheter, and retrieved inside a 10 Fr sheath introducer without any complications. ‹Extra corporeal trial› A 6.6 Fr central venous catheter could be easily retrieved inside an 11Fr sheath introducer. It was also possible to retrieve into a 9 Fr and an 8 Fr sheaths, although with more frictional resistance. The catheter was unable to be retrieved into a 7Fr sheath.