Removal of a Central Venous Catheter Impacted in the Peripheral Pulmonary Artery Using a Balloon Catheter

Disruption of the central venous port catheter was identified on the chest radiograph of a 36-year-old woman who had undergone chemotherapy following resection of her colon cancer. Computed tomography revealed that the catheter was impacted in the peripheral pulmonary artery. Instead of using a snare wire, a balloon catheter was inserted into the lumen of the disrupted catheter due to its tight lodging in the pulmonary artery. The disrupted catheter was successfully removed without complications. This technique may prove useful when using a snare wire is deemed challenging, and a guidewire can be inserted into the catheter lumen.