Abstract
Central venous catheters are a frequently used vascular access for hemodialysis. Fibrin sheath formation is a common complication and is associated with catheter malfunction. Although fibrin sheath angioplasty with catheter exchange is a frequently employed procedure, it can be associated with mechanical complications. An important technical step in this procedure is progression of the guide-wire into the inferior vena cava. Focal alveolar hemorrhage is a very rare complication of this procedure. We report a case of a 70-year old patient on dual antiplatelet therapy who underwent fibrin sheath angioplasty with guide-wire catheter exchange and experienced focal alveolar hemorrhage presenting as hemoptysis and acute type 1 respiratory failure. Progression of the guide-wire into the pulmonary circulation and antithrombotic therapy played a significant role in the development of this complication. This report aims to call attention to a poorly described and potentially serious yet avoidable complication of fibrin sheath angioplasty with guide-wire catheter exchange.
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