Penetration of Günther Tulip filter struts through an introducer sheath: case report and safety concerns.

The authors present a patient who had a Günther-Tulip inferior vena cava filter placed under fluoroscopic guidance. The filter struts were seen to penetrate through the introducer sheath at deployment. This was believed to be secondary to a kink in the sheath at the site of venous entry and was due to the patient's nuchal obesity as well as his inability to turn his head to the opposite side. The introducer sheath was then placed through a long reinforced metal sheath through which the filter was then placed without complication.

Single-incision technique for tunneled central venous access.

PURPOSE: To describe the authors' experience in using a single-incision technique for placing implantable chest ports and tunneled dialysis catheters. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Implantable chest ports and tunneled dialysis catheters were placed in 130 consecutive unselected patients aged 18 to 81 years over a 6-month period. A micropuncture needle bent into a C shape was used to access the internal jugular vein (IJV) from an infraclavicular access under real-time ultrasonographic (US) guidance. A microwire and sheath were then passed into the superior vena cava; this was followed by placement of the tunneled catheter either through a peel-away sheath (implantable chest port) or de novo over the wire (tunneled dialysis catheter). Technical success of procedure performance, total US and procedure times, and adverse procedural outcomes were documented for each case. Follow-up for infections and catheter outcomes was performed, with an average follow-up of 2 months. RESULTS: One hundred thirty of the 131 placements were successful. Fifty-eight implantable chest ports and 72 tunneled dialysis catheters were placed. Four implantable chest ports and 16 tunneled dialysis catheters were placed via the left IJV; the remainder were placed via the right IJV. There were no procedure-related complications. The average US and total procedure times were the same as those for a conventional technique. The lack of a second incision in the lower neck improved the cosmetic result. CONCLUSIONS: The single-incision technique for tunneled central venous access is feasible and safe. Total US and procedure times are within the range of those with a conventional technique. Cosmetically, this technique is superior to the conventional technique.

Safety and feasibility of outpatient transcatheter hepatic arterial embolization for hepatocellular carcinoma.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the feasibility and safety of performing image-guided bland embolization and chemoembolization as an outpatient-based procedure in selected patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective review of the authors' experience with outpatient embolization and chemoembolization from January 2005 to June 2006. Patients with nonresectable HCC not eligible for liver transplantation were enrolled. Patients with Child-Pugh class A and early class B liver disease were treated by using the outpatient protocol, patients with Child-Pugh class C and late class B liver disease and those with elevated bilirubin or creatinine levels were excluded and treated as inpatients or denied embolization therapy. One hundred thirty-three bland embolizations or chemoembolizations were performed in 77 patients on an outpatient basis during the study period. RESULTS: Patients were discharged home on the same day after 131 of the 133 procedures (99%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: +/-2%), in two cases (2%, 95% CI: +/-2%), patients were admitted the day of the procedure. In two of the 131 cases (2%, 95% CI: +/-2%), patients discharged home returned to the emergency department 1-6 days after the procedure. One hundred twenty-nine of the 133 cases (97%, 95% CI: +/-3%) were successfully treated by using the outpatient embolization or chemoembolization protocol, with subsequent hospitalization needed in only four of 133 cases (3%, 95% CI: +/-3%). CONCLUSIONS: Image-guided hepatic bland embolization and chemoembolization performed with an outpatient protocol in carefully selected patients with HCC with aggressive follow-up is safe, with relatively few complications and few requirements for admission or revisitation to the emergency department.

De novo placement of a tunneled dialysis catheter over a wire with the single-incision technique.

The authors describe a technique for the de novo placement of a tunneled dialysis catheter (TDC) over a wire. With use of a micropuncture needle bent into a C shape, the internal jugular vein was accessed under real-time ultrasonographic guidance from the expected catheter exit location in the deltopectoral fossa. The TDC was placed over the wire alone, without the use of a peel-away sheath. Twelve TDCs were successfully placed with this technique without any complications at an average follow-up of 2 months.

Technical challenges in TIPS creation via the right subclavian vein.

This report describes a 64-year-old man with Laennec cirrhosis requiring a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) to alleviate ascites before surgical mesh repair of a large symptomatic umbilical hernia. During the procedure, both internal jugular veins and the right external jugular vein were found to be occluded. The right subclavian vein was accessed and a TIPS was successfully created. Some of the technical challenges encountered in performing the procedure from the right subclavian vein are described.