Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2007 Apr;51(2):182-5.
doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1673.2007.01696.x.

Percutaneous fluoroscopic removal of a knotted Swan-Ganz catheter in a patient with a persistent left-sided superior vena cava

Affiliations
Review

Percutaneous fluoroscopic removal of a knotted Swan-Ganz catheter in a patient with a persistent left-sided superior vena cava

D G Ranatunga et al. Australas Radiol. 2007 Apr.

Abstract

Knotting of intravascular catheters is an uncommon but a well-recognized occurrence. The Swan-Ganz catheter (SGC) is the one that knots most commonly. A case of a knotted SGC is described in a patient with a persistent left-sided superior vena cava, and we propose that the presence of a left-sided superior vena cava is a risk factor for knot formation not previously reported. We review the published work on the risk factors for knot formation and on the techniques used to remove knotted SGC. We describe a technique using a gooseneck snare and Omni Flush catheter (Angiodynamics, Queensbury, NY, USA) to loosen and untie a knotted SGC.

PubMed Disclaimer

LinkOut - more resources