Use of a percutaneous vascular suture device for closure of an inadvertent subclavian artery puncture.

A well-known complication of central venous catheterization is inadvertent arterial sheath placement. Sheath removal from noncompressible arteries has the potential for severe complications. We report a case of inadvertent subclavian arterial sheath placement during an attempted internal jugular venous catheterization. This was successfully removed using a percutaneous vascular suture device. Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.