Percutaneous Retrieval of Foreign Bodies Around Vital Vessels Aided with Vascular Intervention: A Technical Note

To describe a new interventional technique to remove foreign bodies (FBs) embedded in soft tissues around vital vessels.

Under fluoroscopic guidance and using local anesthesia, percutaneous removal of FBs was performed using forceps in nine patients. All patients suffered from a metallic soft tissue FB located in close proximity to important vessels and one also had a small traumatic pseudoaneurysm adjacent to the FB. Prior to removal of the FB, the position of the nearest vessel was identified using a guide wire or catheter placed into the vessel. Balloon catheter was also simultaneously used to temporarily stop the blood flow of the nearest artery during the FB removal in three of the nine patients.

All of the nine FBs with 0-2 mm interval to the nearest vessel were successfully removed in the nine patients without any serious complications. The removed FBs measured 3-12 mm in length and 1-3 mm in width. The total fluoroscopic time of retrieval of each FB was 5-9 min (mean, 6.4 min). The volume of intraoperative bleeding ranged from 5 to 12 ml (mean, 7.5 ml). The length of hospital stay for each patient ranged from 4 to 8 days (mean, 5.5 days).

Vascular intervention-aided percutaneous FB removal is minimally invasive and an effective method for removal of FBs around vital vessels.