The stuck central venous catheter: a word of caution.

The placement of central venous catheter (CVC) through internal jugular vein is not free from potential hazards. We report two cases of triple lumen central venous catheter, placed into right internal jugular vein, which got entrapped in patients who had undergone mitral valve replacement. The entrapment of catheter went unnoticed until the time of removal. Subsequent investigations, mechanism of entrapment, prevention, and removal is described. To conclude, we encountered an unusual cause of stuck central venous catheter, in the left atrial suture line. Removal of central venous catheter requires utmost care, and should never be done by forceful traction in the postoperative cardiac surgical patients, as it may lead to disruption of suture lines or rupture of vessels.