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[Percutaneous retrieval of intravascular foreign bodies]
M J Cantarelli1, A de A de Paola, C M Alves
1Escola Paulista de Medicina, São Paulo.
Purpose:
To report our experience on percutaneous vascular foreign body retrieval and to analyse current techniques employed.
Methods:
From 1985 to 1991, 15 (0.18%) of 7,963 procedures performed in the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory-Hospital São Paulo were intravascular foreign body retrieval: 9 (60%) intracath, 4 (26.8%) diagnostic catheters, one Swan Ganz catheter entrapped at superior cava vein and one fragment of angioplasty guide-wire in the circumflex branch of the left coronary artery. The snare technique was used in 11 cases, a endomyocardial bioptome device in 1 case and modified snare technique for the intracoronary wire fragment retrieval was used in 1 case. In two cases of embolized fragment in peripheral arteries, no attempt was done for retrieval.
Results:
All (100%) of the 13 attempted procedures were successful. The two foreign bodies not removed had an uneventful follow-up.
Conclusion:
The snare technique for percutaneous retrieval of intravascular foreign bodies is safe and has excellent results. The management peripheral fragments is not well defined yet.