Percutaneous transvenous retrieval of intracardiac port-a-cath catheter fragment: a case report.

A female patient, 36 years of age, with a metastasised left breast cancer received several courses of chemotherapy for aggressive local tumour growth and multiple metastatic activity. In the current patient, surgical ablation of the left breast was carried out. Also loco-regional radio-therapy was conducted. To facilitate the administration of chemotherapy courses and prevent thrombophlebitis a vascular access port (port-a-cath) was surgically inserted via the right subclavian vein. After a few successful administrations of chemotherapeutic drugs the vascular port stopped functioning. It was demonstrated that a detached catheter fragment had dislodged into the right ventricle. Successful percutaneous, transvenous removal of the entrapped catheter fragment by the Gooseneck retrieval loop snare from the right ventricle was performed via the right femoral vein access. The procedure was uncomplicated and the patient tolerated the procedure well.