Permcath catheter embolization: a case report.

BACKGROUND

Nowadays, many types of intravascular devices and catheters are used in order to diagnose and treat diseases. Complications related to these instruments are the costs that doctors and patients have to pay to benefit from their advantages. Catheter embolization is one of these side effects. Patients with devices in their cardiopulmonary system are at risk for severe complications such as arrhythmias, pulmonary embolism, myocardial injuries, hemoptysis, thrombosis and perforation.

METHODS

A 50-years-old woman, with a history of breast cancer, had a PermCath emplacement in right subclavian vein for a course of chemotherapy. The treatment for cancer seemed to be successful and the PermCath had remained in its position without complication, for a couple of years however, the catheter was founded broken and embolized to the right ventricle and the main left pulmonary artery, diagnosed by a chest X-ray study incidentally.

CONCLUSIONS

It is better to remove the unused devices safely to prevent and decrease their possible complications.