A Case Report of Non-surgical Removal of Fragmented Remnant of Umbilical Vein Catheter Using an Intravascular Snare / 대한주산의학회잡지

ABSTRACT

Umbilical catheters have been used in NICUs for drawing blood samples, measuring blood pressure, and administering fluid and medications for more than 50 years. When the patient does not need the umbilical catheter or complications associated with umbilical catheters have risen, the catheter must be removed. In this process, the catheter may snap or be cut off and the fragment may migrate to a near vessel or to the heart and cause infection, thrombosis, or arrythmia. We report a case where in the process of removing an umbilical vein catheter, the catheter was stuck to the dried umbilical cord and pulling at it caused the catheter to snap. An immediate roentgenogram showed the fragmented catheter had migrated to the left pulmonary artery. Using an intravascular snare with a femoral approach, we were able to collect the remaining catheter and remove it from the patient's body without any complications.