Entrapment and cutting of a pulmonary artery catheter : Two cases report

Ryu, Hae Young; Song, Myung Hee; Kang, Keum Nae; Lee, Eun Ho; Choi, In Cheol

Case Report

Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia

Anesthesia and Pain Medicine 2009;4(3):242-245.
Published online July 31, 2009.

Entrapment and cutting of a pulmonary artery catheter : Two cases report

Hae Young Ryu, Myung Hee Song, Keum Nae Kang, Eun Ho Lee, In Cheol Choi

Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Ulsan Univercity College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. icchoi@amc.seoul.kr

Abstract

Case 1:A 59-year-old man underwent mitral valve replacement and Maze operation.Under general anesthesia, a pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) and superior vena cava (SVC) cannula were inserted.There were no complications during surgery.However, when the surgeons attempted to remove the PAC the next day there was resistance that caused the catheter to break during removal.A chest X ray revealed that the distal portion of the PAC remained in his heart.Therefore, the patient underwent surgery to remove the remnant catheter.Case 2:A 62-year-old man underwent mitral valvuloplasty.A PAC was inserted under general anesthesia.After the procedure, the patient was weaned off his cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).However, his pulmonary artery pressure could not be measured and an abnormal wave was observed. We attempted to re-insert the catheter, but were unsuccesful.An operation was conducted and the catheter was found to be tied at the septum of the right atrium.

Key Words: complication, cutting, entrapment, pulmonary artery catheter