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Updated: Feb 25, 2026

The Supraclavicular Fossa Ultrasound View for Central Venous Catheter Placement and Catheter Change Over Guidewire
Published on: December 23, 2014
Incidental finding of persistent left superior vena cava after 'bubble study' verification of central venous catheter
Miguel Agustin Pardinas Gutierrez1, Luis A Escobar1, Vanessa Blumer1
1Department of Medicine, Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami, Florida, USA.
Abstract:
We report a case of a patient with septic shock who underwent central venous catheter placement in the left internal jugular vein, and a bedside ultrasound 'bubble study' revealed venous cannulation. A chest X-ray postprocedure revealed concern for arterial system catheterisation. However, the possibility of a persistent left superior vena cava was discussed and confirmed with a formal transthoracic echocardiogram and CT. This case demonstrates the importance of ultrasound-guided visualisation of anatomical structures in real time during central venous catheterisation. Other similar cases from the literature are briefly described.
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