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As endovascular therapies increase in frequency, the incidence of lost or embolized foreign bodies is increasing. The presence of an intravascular foreign body (IFB) is well recognized to have the potential to cause serious complications. IFB can embolize and impact critical sites such as the heart, with subsequent significant morbidity or mortality. Intravascular foreign bodies most commonly result from embolized central line fragments, but they can originate from many sources, both iatrogenic and noniatrogenic. The percutaneous approach in removing an IFB is widely perceived as the best way to retrieve endovascular foreign bodies. This minimally invasive approach has a high success rate with a low associated morbidity, and it avoids the complications related to open surgical approaches. We examined the characteristics, causes, and incidence of endovascular embolizations and reviewed the various described techniques that have been used to facilitate subsequent explantation of such materials.

A 61-year-old woman underwent celiac trunk stenting to treat abdominal angina. Three months later, she was readmitted for recurrent symptoms. Computed tomography control revealed the migration of the stent into the splenic artery. No sign of vessel injury or end-organ ischemia was detected. Repeat stenting of the celiac trunk was performed; the postoperative course was uneventful. 12 months later, the patient was asymptomatic with the second stent in its correct position, and she was asymptomatic for mesenteric ischemia.

Renal artery embolization is the treatment of choice for massive hemorrhage after percutaneous nephrolithotomy. Late coil migration is a known complication after embolization. We report an unusual case of early coil migration causing ureteric obstruction and postulate on risk factors for this phenomenon.

Introduction: Retrieval and repositioning of a stent deployed beyond its intended target region may be a difficult technical challenge., Materials and Methods: A balloon-mounted snare technique, a variant of the coaxial loop snare technique, is described., Results: The technique is described for the repositioning of a covered transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt stent and a covered biliary stent., Conclusion: The balloon-mounted snare technique is a useful technique for retrieval of migrated stents.

We describe our experience with the use of the "double-wire restraining" technique to assist in the removal of two retrievable inferior vena cava filters: one had been misplaced in the right brachiocephalic vein with apex perforation of the vessel wall, and the second filter had migrated cephalad to straddle across both renal veins. The "double-wire restraining" technique consists of two stiff-shaft Glidewires (Terumo, Somerset, NJ) placed through the same introducer sheath and positioned on opposite sides of the filter. Both wires restrain the filter at the tip of the sheath as the sheath is advanced, thus allowing the operator to reposition the filter. This report details how this technique was used to realign two malpositioned filters and reposition the filter apices from their extravascular location, thus exposing them for ensnarement.

Migration of superior vena cava (SVC) stents is a well-recognised complication of their deployment, and numerous strategies exist for their retrieval. To our knowledge, only three cases of migration of an SVC stent to the pulmonary vasculature have previously been reported. None of these patients developed complications that resulted in death. We report a case of SVC stent migration to the pulmonary vasculature with delayed pulmonary artery thrombosis and death from pulmonary infarction. We conclude that early retrieval of migrated stents should be performed to decrease the risk of serious complications.

The insertion of a chest drain catheter for the management of a pneumothorax in an 82-year-old woman resulted in the unusual complication of liver penetration. The position of the drain was assessed by contrast-enhanced computed tomographic scan. Because the patient was hemodynamically stable and no damage to major vessels was seen on computed tomographic scan, the patient was treated in a nonoperative manner. A procedure was performed under controlled conditions using techniques used during transhepatic liver biopsies but with the addition of a balloon catheter. Embolization of the liver track was performed during chest drain removal. The drain was successfully removed without the complication of bleeding in a patient unsuitable for a general anesthetic.

Pancreatic pseudocysts may occur in up to 10% of patients with acute or chronic pancreatitis. Symptomatic, persistent, and infected pancreatic pseudocysts require interventional therapy. We present the case of a patient with complete dislocation of a double pigtail catheter into an infected pseudocyst and the repositioning of the drainage catheter using a transgastric snaring technique. The combination of CT-guided percutaneous puncture and fluoroscopic snaring permitted minimally invasive management of this rare complication.

The purpose of this article is to report complications from a coronary drug-eluting stent lost in the peripheral circulation. We report the case of successful retrieval of a sirolimus coronary stent from a pedal artery in a young patient who underwent coronary angiography for previous anterior myocardial infarction. Recognition of stent embolization requires adequate removal of the device to avoid unwelcome clinical sequelae.

This paper reports our experience with endovascular techniques for the retrieval of lost or misplaced intravascular objects. Over 12 years, 78 patients were referred for interventional retrieval of intravascular foreign objects. In this retrospective study, radiological procedure records and patients' medical records were reviewed to determine the exact removal procedure in every case, to report success rates, and to identify significant procedure-related complications. Written, informed consent was obtained from all patients prior to the intervention; this retrospective analysis was performed according to the guidelines of the Institutional Review Board. Thirty-six of seventy-eight foreign objects (46%) were located in the venous system, 27 of 78 (35%) in the right heart, and 15 of 78 (19%) in the pulmonary arteries. For foreign object removal, in 71 of 78 (91%) cases a snare loop was used, in 6 of 78 (8%) cases a sidewinder catheter combined with a snare loop was used, and in 1 case (1%) a sidewinder catheter alone was used for foreign object removal. In 68 of 78 (87%) cases, primary success was achieved. In 3 of 78 cases (4%), foreign objects were successfully mobilized to the femoral vessels and surgically removed. In 7 of 78 cases (9%), complete removal of the foreign object was not possible. In 5 of 78 cases (6%), minor complications occurred during the removal procedure. In conclusion, endovascular retrieval of lost or misplaced intravascular objects is highly effective, with relatively few minor complications. On the basis of our findings, these techniques should be considered as the therapy of choice.

Purpose: Stent migration into the right atrium is a potentially fatal complication of stenting in the venous system and is most likely to occur during the treatment of superior vena cava obstruction. Endovascular approaches that can salvage this hazardous situation are described and the keys to successful treatment are highlighted., Materials and Methods: Four different strategies are reviewed: (1) snaring the stent directly, (2) angioplasty balloon-assisted snaring of the stent, (3) guide wire-assisted snaring of the stent, and (4) superior vena cava-to-inferior vena cava bridging stent., Results: These techniques have been employed in the successful management of four cases. No short- or long-term complications as a result of these maneuvers have been identified. Additional treatment of the underlying disease was possible at the same time in each case., Conclusion: We conclude that prompt management of right atrial stent migration is essential and can be successfully achieved by a variety of "bale-out" techniques which are within the technical range of most interventional radiologists.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate radiological-interventional central venous port catheter corrections in migrated/malpositioned catheter tips., Materials and Methods: Thirty patients with migrated/malpositioned port catheter tips were included in this retrospective analysis. To visualize the catheter patency a contrast-enhanced port catheter series was performed, followed by transfemoral port catheter correction with various 5-F angiographic catheters (pigtail; Sos Omni), gooseneck snares, or combinations thereof., Results: One patient showed spontaneous reposition of the catheter tip. In 27 of 29 patients (93%), radiological-interventional port catheter correction was successful. In two patients port catheter malposition correction was not possible, because of the inability to catch either the catheter tip or the catheter in its course, possibly due to fibrin sheath formation with attachment of the catheter to the vessel wall. No disconnection or port catheter dysfunction was observed after correction., Conclusions: We conclude that in migrated catheter tips radiological-interventional port catheter correction is a minimally invasive alternative to port extraction and reimplantation. In patients with a fibrin sheath and/or thrombosis port catheter correction is often more challenging.

Extraction techniques are gaining increasing attention in proportion to the increasing range of endovascular procedures. The choice of the instrumentarium depends, among other things, on whether the object to be extracted is a foreign body (most often a catheter) with or without a free end. This communication offers our experience with a combined extractor of our own manufacture allowing both central and lateral grasping techniques. The technique of catheterization is illustrated in one case.

Background: Distal migration is one of the common complications after insertion of a covered metallic stent. Stent repositioning or removal is not always possible in every patient. Therefore, trimming using an argon plasma coagulator (APC) may be a good alternative method to solve this problem., Methods: Metallic stent trimming by APC was performed in 2 patients with biliary Wallstent migration and in another patient with esophageal Ultraflex stent migration. The power setting was 60-100 watts with an argon flow of 0.8 l/min., Observations: The procedure was successfully performed and all distal parts of the stents were removed. No significant collateral damage to the nearby mucosa was observed., Conclusions: In a patient with a distally migrated metallic stent, trimming of the stent is possible by means of an APC. This new method may be applicable to other sites of metallic stent migration.

The purpose of the study is to evaluate radiological-interventional central venous port catheter corrections in migrated/malpositioned catheter tips. Thirty patients with migrated/malpositioned port catheter tips were included in this retrospective analysis. To visualize the catheter patency, a contrast-enhanced port catheter series was performed, followed by transfemoral port catheter correction with various 5F angiographic catheters (pigtail, Sos Omni), goose-neck snare, or combinations thereof. One patient showed spontaneous reposition of the catheter tip. In 27 of 29 patients (93%), radiological-interventional port catheter correction was successful. In two patients, port catheter malposition correction was not possible because of the inability to catch either the catheter tip or the catheter in its course, possibly due to fibrin sheath formation with attachment of the catheter to the vessel wall. No disconnection or port catheter dysfunction was observed after correction. In migrated catheter tips, radiological-interventional port catheter correction is a minimally invasive alternative to port extraction and reimplantation. In patients with a fibrin sheath and/or thrombosis, port catheter correction is often more challenging.

We report the case of a 69-year-old man with a late type 1b endoleak due to proximal migration of both iliac limbs 5 years after endovascular repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm. The endovascular method used to correct bilaterally this condition is described. Final angiographic control shows patency of the stent-graft without signs of endoleak.

We report a case of venous obstruction secondary to Hodgkin's lymphoma. Multiple Wallstents were inserted into the superior vena cava to relieve obstructive symptoms secondary to tumor. This procedure was complicated by stent migration into the right ventricle and a presumed stent infection. We describe the percutaneous management of these complications and discuss the issues surrounding the use of stents in this setting. We conclude that these complications can be managed percutaneously. However, the technical details of stent placement are essential in minimizing complications of this type.

Tracheobronchial stents play a major role in the management of tracheobronchial stenoses and/or bronchomalacia. A very few techniques have been described in literature to remove misplaced or malpositioned tracheobronchial stents. This is a case report describing a technique to retrieve a malpositioned stent utilizing Amplatz gooseneck snare.

We report the case of a liver transplant patient who developed a biliary stricture 3 years postoperatively which was treated with an endostent. During endoscopic removal, the stent fractured and a portion of it lodged itself within the intrahepatic portion of a portal vein branch. The endostent fragment was retrieved percutaneously using interventional radiology techniques. Risk factors for endostent fracture and migration as well as various percutaneous retrieval methods are reviewed in this article.

We present a simple guidewire insertion technique and a new way of prepping for the procedure for readvancement of partially retracted Hickman catheters with the aid of a stiff hydrophilic guidewire.

We report the results of fluoroscopically guided wire/stylet manipulation combined with endoluminal electrocauterization in seven patients with obstructed Tenckhoff peritoneal dialysis catheters. In preparation for clinical application, electrocauterization was performed using a stone basket to recanalize surgically removed Tenckhoff catheters obstructed with omental fat ingrowing through the side holes. All ingrowing omental fat was removed easily by electrocauterization with the rotating movement of a stone basket. The technique was then applied in vivo in seven cases with ingrowing omental fat and malpositioned catheter; six (86%) were successfully recanalized. Among those six cases with initial success, four maintained good catheter function with durable patency (mean 261.3 days). No significant complication was noted.

Palliative stenting of malignant colonic obstruction may be complicated by stent migration. Stents that migrate into the rectum cannot be passed with bowel movements and frequently cause obstruction. We present two simple means to retrieve stents from the rectum using fluoroscopic guidance. These techniques were used successfully without complication in four stent migrations.

A patient with axillary venous thrombosis caused by lymph node compression and the presence of a displaced catheter in the vascular lumen is presented. In this case, percutaneous interventional radiological procedures (balloon angioplasty and snare loop method) in conjunction with medical treatment were effective in limiting the post-thrombotic syndrome and restoring the proper positioning of the catheter, thereby saving the central venous access.

A 38-year-old woman was treated for malignant stricture by the endoscopic placement of a biliary endoprosthesis. She developed a large retroperitoneal biloma secondary to acute duodenal perforation by the stent. We describe the successful percutaneous retrieval of the biliary stent through a retroperitoneal approach which also permitted drainage of the biloma.

A Palmaz stent had dislodged into the left pulmonary artery after TIPS. After transfemoral catheterization of the left pulmonary artery, the stent was retrieved into the right femoral vein employing an angioplastic balloon catheter and finally extracted after surgical venotomy.

During open mitral commissurotomy in a patient with mitral stenosis, a vent catheter retention ring was accidentally slipped off into the left atrium and lodged near the orifice of the right renal artery. Nonsurgical retrieval of this intraarterial foreign body was performed successfully under fluoroscopic guidance in the operating room using a combined approach of angiographic catheters and guidewire, these being inserted via the arteriotomy site of the right femoral artery created for cardiopulmonary bypass.

A fragment of an intravenous catheter, lodged in the right atrium of a patient after a recent liver transplant, was removed percutaneously. Extra care is needed in such patients if the transfemoral approach is used. Reasons for the additional precautions are discussed and a case history is provided.