Inadvertent intracardiac fixation of a Swan-Ganz catheter

Abstract

During aortic valve replacement surgery, a Swan-Ganz catheter was accidentally fixed to the right atrium. It was not noticed until the moment to remove it in the immediate postoperative after pulmonary artery pressure and cardiac output could not be measured through it. Fluoroscopy revealed the location of the fixation in the retrograde cardioplegia suture. A reesternotomy was performed to remove it without complications.