Accidental guidewire migration following emergency femoral central venous catheterization

Central venous catheter placement especially the femoral venous catheter is a common practice in critically ill patients. Awareness of potential complications of the guidewire such as guidewire migration is of utmost importance. Though potentially retrievable by a vascular surgeon or interventional radiologist if it occurs, close supervision by a senior person during passage by a junior or inexperienced person, the use of ultrasound before and after placement of catheter, and use of a checklist may help to identify and prevent its occurrence. We present a very rare complication of central venous cannulation of a guidewire migration in our institution. A 12-year-old girl presented to the Paediatric Emergency Unit (PEU) with status epilepticus and aspiration pneumonia and subsequently transferred to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) for ventilatory support. She had accidental guidewire migration to the left internal jugular vein following a right transfemoral central venous catheterization. She underwent successful guidewire retrieval via a right groin incision.