[Knotting of Swan-Ganz catheter. How to unknot without surgery?]

While it is introduced, a Swan-Ganz catheter may occasionally become knotted at its tip. To unknot and remove it, a non-surgical technique based on the injection of warm (37 degrees C) saline under pressure is suggested. Knotting can be prevented by inflating the balloon at the tip of the catheter with 1.5 ml of air when it enters the vena cava.