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Updated: May 9, 2026

A Porcine Model of Acute Autologous Pulmonary Embolism
Published on: September 6, 2024
The retrieval of the diagnostic catheter which broke and embolised twice
I B Vijayalakshmi1, Navin Agrawal, Kavya Mallikarjun
1Department of Cardiology, Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
Abstract:
We are presenting a nightmare case of successful retrieval of the broken distal tip of a multipurpose catheter which embolised into the left pulmonary artery (LPA) during atrial septal defect device closure. During the course of snaring it initially slipped once in the LPA and subsequently while snaring it into the delivery sheath it slipped again in the inferior vena cava and yet again embolised into the LPA!! Subsequent attempt was successful but the distal fragment itself broke into two parts while being pulled inside the delivery sheath. Luckily the fragments did not embolise again as they were stuck at the tip of the sheath. The distal fragments were pulled out en masse along with the delivery sheath maintaining negative pressure at the side port of the delivery sheath using a 20 mL syringe. The final outcome was successful and the patient was unharmed by this potentially grave complication.
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