The management of intravascular metallic foreign bodies (FB) can be difficult and challenging. We report a case of a migrating FB, initially within the femoral vein which subsequently migrated to the intrahepatic venacava. Following a change of posture, the metallic FB moved with gravity against the normal venous blood flow to the left renal vein. It was finally fixed in position in a peripheral branch of the renal vein using an intravascular stent. Employing gravity as a therapeutic intervention and the technique used in isolating the FB has not, to our knowledge, been reported before. A case is described, and the literature is reviewed.
Barrett N.Foreign bodies in the cardiovascular system. Br J Surg. 1950;37(148):416-445.
2.
Davey W., Parker G.Surgical pursuit and removal of metallic foreign body from systemic venous circulation. Br J Surg. 1947;34(136):392-395.
3.
Wolf F., Schernthaner RE, Dirisamer A., et al. Endovascular management of lost or misplaced intravascular objects: experiences of 12 years. Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol. 2008;31(3):563-568.
4.
Egglin TK, Dickey KW, Rosenblatt M., et al. Retrieval of intravascular foreign bodies: experience in 32 cases. Am J Roentgenol. 1995;164(5):1259-1264.
5.
Moncada R., Matuga T., Unger E., et al. Migratory traumatic cardiovascular foreign bodies. Circulation. 1978;57(1):186-189.
6.
Ronsivalle J. , Statler J., Venbrux AC, et al. Intravascular bullet migration: a report of two cases. Mil Med. 2005;170(12):1044-1047.
7.
Sheth R., Someshwar V., Warawdekar G.Percutaneous retrieval of misplaced intravascular foreign objects with the Dormia basket: an effective solution. Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol. 2007;30(1):48-53.
8.
Yang FS, Ohta I., Chiang HJ, et al. Non-surgical retrieval of intravascular foreign body: experience of 12 cases. Eur J Radiol. 1994;18(1):1-5.
9.
Mattox KL, Beall AC Jr, Ennix CL, et al. Intravascular migratory bullets. Am J Surg. 1979;137(2):192-195.
10.
Van Way CWIntrathoracic and intravascular migratory foreign bodies. Surg Clin North Am. 1989;69(1):125-133.
11.
Michalopoulos AS, Tzoufi MJ, Theodorakis G., et al. Acute postoperative pulmonary thromboembolism as a result of intravascular migration of a pigtail ureteral stent. Anesth Analg. 2002;95(5):1185-1188.
12.
Espiritu JD, Stolar CGPulmonary hypertension due to a retained totally implantable venous access device fragment. Chest. 2007;131(5):1574-1576.
13.
Raad I.Intravascular catheter related infections. Lancet. 1998;351(9106):893-898.
14.
van Heusden K., Gisolf J., Stok WJ, Dijkstra S., Karemaker JMMathematical modeling of gravitational effects on the circulation: importance of the time course of venous pooling and blood volume changes in the lungs. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol . 2006;291(5): H2152-H2165.
15.
Koseoglu K. , Parildar M., Oran I., et al. Retrieval of intravascular foreign bodies with goose neck snare. Eur J Radiol. 2004;49(3):281-285.
16.
Gabelmann A. , Kramer S., Gorich J.Percutaneous retrieval of lost or misplaced intravascular objects. Am J Roentgenol. 2001 ;176(6):1509-1513.
