Subclavian Artery Injury Following Central Venous Catheter Placement

Morris Sasson; Lisandro Montorfano; Stephen J Bordes; Mauricio Sarmiento Cobos; Mark Grove

doi:10.7759/cureus.14287

Subclavian Artery Injury Following Central Venous Catheter Placement

Cureus. 2021 Apr 4;13(4):e14287. doi: 10.7759/cureus.14287.

Authors

Morris Sasson¹, Lisandro Montorfano², Stephen J Bordes³, Mauricio Sarmiento Cobos², Mark Grove¹

Affiliations

¹ Vascular Surgery, Cleveland Clinic Florida, Weston, USA.
² General Surgery, Cleveland Clinic Florida, Weston, USA.
³ Surgical Anatomy, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, USA.

Abstract

Mechanical complications following central venous catheterization are not uncommon. We discuss a case of iatrogenic intra-arterial central venous catheter placement requiring neck exploration in a 93-year-old woman. The catheter was inadvertently passed through the jugular vein and into the right subclavian artery by a junior surgical resident. Adequate technique and supervision, ultrasound guidance, and immediate diagnostic workup in the event of suspected arterial injury are factors necessary for physicians to minimize complications and provide safe medical treatment.

Keywords: catheter-related complications; central venous catheter; jugular vein; subclavian artery; vascular surgery.

Publication types

Case Reports