INADVERTENT INTRACARDIAC ENTRAPMENT OF A SWAN-GANZ CATHETER

A 58-year-old man, admitted with one-vessel coronary disease and aorti c valve insufficiency, was scheduled for cardiac surgery. He underwent single coronary bypass grafting and aorta ascendens replacement by a composite graft. During surgery he was monitored by a Swan-Ganz cathet er, which had been inserted uneventfully via the right internal jugula r vein. Six hours after completion of surgery we were unable to remove this catheter. Fluoroscopy showed intracardiac entrapment of the cath eter. Rethoracotomy was performed, revealing entrapment by a suture. T he purse-string suture was released, and the catheter was withdrawn wi thout resistance.