A Rare Catheter complication: Breakage of the central venous catheter

Abstract

Central venous catheters (CVC) are commonly used for infusion therapies, nutritional support, hemodynamic monitorisation, as temporary transvenous pacemakers, plasmapheresis or hemodialysis, mostly in intensive care units and operating rooms. In this case of a 73-year-old female patient who was monitorised for right median cerebral artery infarct, a large portion of the catheter was broken and embolized in patient's venous structures while changing the central catheter in the right subclavian vein.