Transfemoral removal of a knotted Swan-Ganz catheter.

The knotted Swan-Ganz catheter: new solution to a vexing problem.

The Swan-Ganz catheter is used frequently in the intensive came unit for hemodynamic monitoring of critically ill patients. Knot formation at the end of the cathether occurs rarely, and a number of reports have dealt with methods for removing the knotted catheter without resorting to surgery [1 -4]. We have had three such cases at our institution within the past 6 months. We describe another me...

Intraoperative removal of a knotted Swan-Ganz catheter during lung transplantation.

We describe the case of a 52-year-old man with end-stage emphysema who underwent a right-sided lung transplantation. During preoperative monitoring an apparently non-functioning Swan-Ganz catheter could not be removed through the insertion site - right internal jugular vein. Another Swan-Ganz catheter was successfully installed through the left internal jugular vein, pulmonary artery pressures ...

Percutaneous removal of a knotted pulmonary artery catheter using a tracheostomy dilator

STATEMENT OF FINDINGS: This case report describes removal of a knotted, subclavian, pulmonary artery catheter using a tracheostomy dilator. With this simple method an invasive procedure might be averted.

Removal of a knotted Swan-Ganz catheter.

Occurrence and removal of a knotted pulmonary artery catheter: a case report.

The challenge of treating older, obese patients with various comorbidities has become a mainstay of anesthetic practice. In order to monitor and provide anesthesia safely, the nurse anesthetist must weigh the risks and benefits of all types of monitoring when these patients undergo major invasive procedures. One such option is the Swan-Ganz pulmonary artery catheter. During the last decade an e...

Nonsurgical removal of a knotted pulmonary artery catheter.

Though controversy exists regarding the utility of pulmonary artery catheters (PAC), their use persists in select patients. Knotting of these catheters upon insertion is a rare but serious complication. We present 2 cases of coagulopathic patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation complicated by PAC knotting on attempted line placement. Both knotted PAC were successfully removed nonsu...