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Published on: December 23, 2014
Radiographic inguinal curl may indicate paraspinal misplacement of percutaneously inserted central venous catheters:
Faris Chedid1, Adil Abbas, Lloyd Morris
1Department of Paediatrics, Al Tawam Hospital, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Insights
Misplaced percutaneously inserted central venous catheters (PCVCs) in premature infants can be detected by an unusual inguinal curl on radiographs. This finding suggests accurate diagnosis of paraspinal venous plexus misplacement.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal care
- Vascular access
- Pediatric radiology
Background:
- Percutaneously inserted central venous catheters (PCVCs) are crucial for neonatal intensive care.
- Catheter malposition into the paraspinal venous plexus can lead to severe complications.
- Understanding mechanisms of malposition is vital for patient safety.
Observation:
- Three cases of premature infants with PCVCs inserted via the left saphenous vein are presented.
- The catheters were found to be malpositioned within the lumbar spinal dural venous plexus.
- Radiographs revealed a characteristic 360-degree curl of the catheter in the inguinal region.
Findings:
- The unusual 360-degree catheter curl in the inguinal area was identified on plain radiographs.
- This radiographic finding is strongly associated with PCVC misplacement into the paraspinal venous plexus.
- Early identification of this curl can aid in diagnosing catheter malposition.
Implications:
- The identified radiographic curl serves as a reliable indicator for diagnosing PCVC misplacement.
- Prompt diagnosis can prevent devastating outcomes associated with paraspinal venous plexus catheterization.
- This observation may improve the safety and efficacy of central venous catheter placement in neonates.
Background:
Misplacement of percutaneously inserted central venous catheters (PCVCs) into the paraspinal venous plexus can result in devastating outcomes. Several cases have been reported in the literature together with an explanation of the mechanism.
Objective:
To describe three premature babies with their PCVCs inserted through the left saphenous vein that ended up in the lumbar spinal dural venous plexus.
Results:
Plain radiographs obtained to check positions showed an unusual 360 degrees curl of the PCVC in the left inguinal area.
Conclusion:
We believe that misplacement of the catheter into the paraspinal venous plexus could be diagnosed with great accuracy if such a curl is seen.
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