Central venous catheters are widely used in the care of chronically ill patients. As with most invasive procedures, central venous catheterisation is associated with numerous potential complications both during placement and later in long term maintenance. Pneumothorax, infection, bleeding, arrhtythmias, malposition and thrombosis are well known complications. A rare but serious complication is catheter fragmentation with subsequent embolisation through the heart into the pulmonary artery occuring in approximately 4% of patients who develop the possible precursor warnings of catheter fragmentation, the so called pinch of sign. We report a case of our own experience and summarize the current literature on this specific topic and complications in order to emphasize preventive practice guidelines.
Key Words: Catheterization; Central Venous; Complication; Pulmonary Embolism.
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