Central Venous Catheter-Related Hydrothorax

Migration of Indwelling Central Venous Catheter and Fatal Hydrothorax

Central venous catheter complications can be related to insertion, indwelling, or extraction. Most of the times, immediate complications are anticipated and managed; whereas, delayed complications can go unnoticed. In the case discussed here, migration and dislodgement of catheter tip resulted in delayed hydrothorax and sudden death of a 9-month-old female infant.

Hydrothorax after retraction of a subclavian central venous catheter.

Central venous catheters (CVCs) are frequently used in intensive care patients. However, their use is associated with mechanical and infectious complications. Most mechanical complications arise during insertion, rarely while the catheter is in situ or upon its removal.1 The most frequent mechanical complications, arising mostly at the time of venopuncture or shortly after, are arterial malpunc...

Hydrothorax after central venous catheterization.

Three patients are described who developed hydrothorax as a complication of central venous catheterization. Respiratory distress associated with physical signs of fluid in the chest should arouse suspicion that the venous catheter has perforated the wall of the vein.The complications of central venous catheterization are reviewed and three cases of hydrothorax are presented. Comments on the pre...

Tension hydrothorax induced by central venous catheter migration in a patient with burns.

Delayed pneumothorax and contralateral hydrothorax induced by a left subclavian central venous catheter: a case report

The placement of central venous catheters (CVCs) has become a ubiquitous practice in intensive care units (ICUs). The use of CVCs is often a necessity for the measurement of hemodynamic variables and the administration of fluids, medications, blood products, and parenteral nutrition in critically ill patients; however, catheterization may occasionally be associated with complications, such as p...