Percutaneous retrieval of foreign bodies from the cardiovascular system.

We report our experience of seven patients referred to our hospital with foreign bodies embolized in the cardiovascular system, namely fragmented catheters and devices used in interventional techniques, which were retrieved by a percutaneous approach. The patients' ages ranged from 2 to 29 years, with a mean age of 17. The majority (57%) were male. The retrieval equipment used included a pigtail catheter, multipurpose catheter with hand-prepared snare, Amplatz gooseneck snare, nitinol multisnare set and basket catheter. The foreign bodies were successfully removed percutaneously in all cases, with no complications.