Catheter fracture and cardiac migration of a totally implantable venous device.

ABSTRACT

Totally implantable venous devices (TIVD) are increasingly being utilized for venous access for chemotherapy of oncological patients. These devices considerably improve the quality of life of patients requiring long-term chemotherapy. However, despite the great usefulness of TIVDs, their insertion and maintenance is not free of complications. Many early as well as late complications associated with these devices have been reported. We report an unusual, silent, but potentially hazardous complication of catheter fracture and cardiac migration in a 16-year-old girl, in whom the port had been unused for 9 months before presentation. Percutaneous retrieval was unsuccessful as the catheter end was embedded in the myocardium. The catheter was removed via a midline sternotomy without any further complications. We have also reviewed the literature about the possible mechanism of this complication and discussed methods to recognize and avoid it.