J.Jpn. Surg. Soc.. 89(2): 306-309, 1988

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Case report

EXPERIENCE WITH TRANSVENOUS RETRIEVAL OF A FRACTURED IVH CATHETER FROM THE SUPERIOR CAVAL VEIN
―A STUDY OF THE MECHANISM OF CATHETER BREAKAGE BY MODEL TENSION TEST―

An IVH catheter which was left in the superior caval vein was removed using a myocardial bioptome. It was accidentally broken when the patient was unintentionally pulled it out. The cut surface was examined and it was confirmed that the IVH catheter could be broken irrespective of any defect of the catheter itself.
To clarify the mechanism of catheter breakage, a model tension test was performed. The tensile strength and elongation were examined in 3 ways;first without binding, second with binding, third with binding and also pulling backward. The rate of tension was also varied from 100mm/min to 1,000mm/ min. It was found that the catheter was easier to break when pulled out faster, with binding, and pulled backward. When pulled forward, it was elongated and the site of breakage was not at the site of binding. However, when pulled backward, it was less elongated and the site of breakage was at the site of binding. An electron microscopic examination of the removed catheter revealed that the cut surface reembled that being pulled backward at a rate of 1,000mm/min.
The above suggests that, in this case, the IVH catheter was trapped between the clavicle and the 1st rib and pulled at an angle.

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