[Clinical significance and effects of foreign body embolism during the use of central venous catheters].

An embolism caused by catheters or puncture devices is generally a rare complication during the use of central venous catheters. Possible reasons are either mistakes on the part of the user (e.g. shearing off or tearing of catheters or Seldinger wires) or other accidental causes (e.g. faulty products, material fatigue). As patients are at risk of suffering serious injuries following an embolism, foreign bodies should be removed from the patient's cardio circulatory system as quickly and as completely as possible. Two-dimensional echo-cardiography has proved to be very helpful for diagnostics, while interventional radiology is most effective for the removal of intravascular foreign bodies.