Fractured central venous catheter

Fractured central venous catheter

Fractured central venous catheter. This is, fortunately, an uncommon complication of central lines. In this example, a portacath had been inserted but the plastic catheter tore away from the metal port (circled), and was displaced into the heart (arrows). CT shows that the catheter had migrated into the coronary sinus. Attempted percutaneous removal was unsuccessful.