PULMONARY COMPLICATIONS OF UMBILICAL VENOUS CATHETERS

Umbilical venous catheters that are pushed in too far will usually cro ss the atrial septum and may dislodge in a pulmonary vein. The authors report eight neonates with radiographic documentation of this cathete r malposition together with either a localized pulmonary opacification or an autopsy report of a pulmonary hemorrhage or infarction correspo nding to the catheter position. The lung injury ranged from a transien t edema to hemorrhagic pulmonary infarction and hydrothorax. In two ca ses autopsy demonstrated localized infarction without previous radiogr aphic signs of catheter related injury.