Percutaneous transvenous recovery of foreign bodies using a self-made wireloop.

Aim: Several techniques exist to retrieve catheter and guide wire fragments . In this report we summarize our cost-saving method. Materials and Methods : A 7-8 F guiding catheter and a self-made loop consisting of a 260 cm/0.03 5 in. Terumowire was used. Results: 45 of 48 fragments were retrieved compl etely using this method. For the three remaining fragments (all pacemaker e lectrodes), retrieval was attempted with a "Goose-Neck" loop, two of them f ailed. The procedure was well tolerated, there were no severe complications . Conclusion: Usually venous foreign bodies can be retrieved completely by this cost-saving method, the use of expensive industrial loops or baskets c an be avoided.