Vascular access catheters such as Tesio-Caths are preferentially inserted in the internal jugular vein and serve as access for hemodialysis. Complications related to the removal of these types of lines are uncommon. We report four patients in whom the tip of the Tesio-Cath broke and was left stuck in the superior vena cava. Although there is no defined limit to the maximum length of stay of vascular access catheters for dialysis, the possibility of catheter entrapment should be considered. It remains to be determined whether removing Tesio-Caths every 16–18 months is beneficial in avoiding this complication.
NFK K/DOQI guidelines.Clinical Practice Guidelines and Clinical Practice Recommendations; 2006 Updates. Clinical practice guidelines for vascular access. In: NKF; 2006.
2.
CetinkayaR., OdabasA., UnluY., SelcukY., AtesA., CevizM.Using cuffed and tunnelled central venous catheters as permanent vascular access for hemodialysis: a prospective study. Ren Fail2003; 25: 431–8.
3.
ChazanJ., LondonM., PonoL.Long-term survival of vascular access in a large chronic hemodialysis population. Nephron1995; 69: 228–33.
4.
Di IorioB., MondilloF., BortoneS.Fourteen years of hemodialysis with a central venous catheter: mechanical long-term complications. J Vasc Access2006; 7: 60–5.
5.
WilsonG., Van NoeselM., HopW., Van de VenC.The catheter is stuck: complications experienced during removal of a totally implantable venous access. A single-center study in 200 children. J Pediatr Surg2006; 41: 1694–8.
6.
BiffiR., CorradoF., De BraudF.Long-term, totally implantable central venous access ports connected to a Groshong catheter for chemotherapy of solid tumours: experience from 178 cases using a single type of device. Eur J Cancer1997; 33: 1190–4.
7.
DamascelliB., PatelliG., FrigerioF.Placement of long-term central venous catheters in outpatients: study of 134 patients over 24,596 catheter days. AJR Am J Roentgenol1997; 168: 1235–9.
8.
SchonD., WhittmanD.Managing the complications of long-term tunneled dialysis catheters. Semin Dial2003; 16: 314–22.
9.
KapadiaS., ParakhR., GroverT., YadavA.Catheter fracture and cardiac migration of a totally implantable venous device. Indian J Cancer2005; 42: 155–7.
10.
ForauerA.R., TheoharisC.Histologic changes in the human vein wall adjacent to indwelling central venous catheters. J Vasc Interv Radiol2003; 14: 1163–8.
11.
HassanA., KhalifaM., Al-AkraaM., LordR., DavenportA.Six cases of retained central venous haemodialysis access catheters. Nephrol Dial Transplant2006; 21: 2005–8.
