Spontaneous central venous catheter fracture and the intracardiac migration in an infant: Successful percutaneous retrieval

ABSTRACT

The use of central venous lines including totally implantable venous devices has revolutionized the care and management of infants and children in general and oncology patients in particular and, although considered to be generally safe, they are however associated with significant morbidity. One of the rare but potentially life-threatening complications is catheter fracture and migration, which is commonly seen in adults but rarely in children. We report here the case of an infant with catheter fracture and migration to the right ventricle, which was successfully retrieved by a percutaneous transfemoral endovascular technique