Pigtail slip-knot catches the heart

Catheter Cardiovasc Interv. 2007 Nov 15;70(6):824-5. doi: 10.1002/ccd.21228.

Abstract

An 83-year-old woman had pigtail pericardiocentesis under echo-guidance. The redundancy of pigtail catheter formed a slip-knot which caught the entire heart tightly during removal. Small thoracotomy was necessary to relieve the knot. The extremely rare condition was reported.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Cardiac Catheterization / adverse effects*
  • Cardiac Catheterization / instrumentation
  • Cardiac Tamponade / diagnostic imaging
  • Cardiac Tamponade / etiology
  • Cardiac Tamponade / therapy*
  • Device Removal / methods*
  • Equipment Failure
  • Female
  • Fluoroscopy
  • Humans
  • Pericardial Effusion / complications
  • Pericardial Effusion / diagnostic imaging
  • Pericardial Effusion / therapy*
  • Pericardiocentesis / methods*