Unusual mechanical complications of central venous catheterization

OBJECTIVES: To present an unusual major mechanical complication of central venous catheterization (CVC). METHODS: Between January 2016 and January 2017, data of the patients who underwent CVC in Cumhuriyet University in Sivas, Turkey, were retrospectively reviewed. The patients who experienced an unusual mechanical catheter-related complication are included in this study. Other complications of central venous catheter placement, except mechanical catheter complications such as infection or thrombosis, were excluded from the study. RESULTS: A total of 236 consecutive patients who had undergone CVC were found. Nine patients (3.8%) were found to have unusual major mechanical catheter complications. Most noteworthy complications occurred when the catheter was placed in the arcus aorta, ductus thoracicus, pleural cavity, and abdominal cavity. The most common observation in patients with major complications was that CVC had been carried out in the absence of ultrasonic or fluoroscopic guidance owing to emergency situations. CONCLUSION: The use of CVC is associated with potential major complications occurring particularly during emergency situations. We believe that the use of radiological guidance during CVC could reduce unusual major mechanical complication rates even during an emergency situation.