Non-surgical retrieval of intravascular foreign body: experience of 12 cases

An intravascular foreign body is an iatrogenic complication that occurs during arterial or venous catheterization or interventional procedures. The foreign body could either be a catheter fragment, a dislodged coil, or a steel guide wire. From January 1987 to December 1992, 12 cases of intravascular foreign-body removals were performed by a percutaneous method at Mackay Memorial Hospital. Of the 12 cases, five were dislodged steel guide wires, four were broken CVP catheters, two were dislodged coils, and one was Port-A fragment. The techniques we used were the loop-snare technique (two cases) and stone basket retriever (10 cases). Eleven cases of intravascular foreign bodies were removed by non-surgical percutaneous retrieval but one case was a failure due to improper extraction of a dislodged steel guide wire. The patient received surgical extraction by regional venotomy finally. No major complications were noted during or after these procedures.