Knotted ventriculoatrial catheter

Abstract

✓ In this patient a No. 5 French infant feeding tube was advanced through the right basilic vein into the superior vena cava, and became knotted around the end of an atrial catheter placed in the left common facial vein. The atrial catheter stretched sufficiently to allow excision of the knot as it came through the antecubital incision. It then snapped back up into the axillary vein. A shuntgram with 60% Renograffin demonstrated the position of the ventriculoatrial catheter in the axillary vein. Subsequently, the catheter slid back into the atrial position.