Background: Complications
related to central venous catheters in the intensive care unit can be fatal.
Case Report: An 18 years old
lady with acute myeloid leukemia was admitted to An-Najah National University Hospital
for a second course chemotherapy. On the day of admission, central line
insertion was planned for starting the chemotherapy. The central line was
inserted in right subclavian vein. One hour after the insertion, the patient complained
of mild chest pain, difficulty breathing, and mild tachypnea. Anteroposterior chest radiography did not reveal
neumothorax, infiltration, consolidation, or collapse. The chest computed
tomography scan (CT) detected anterior and superior pneumomediastinum. Minimal
pleural effusion was also detected in the right lung, especially in the dependent area. The tip of the catheter was seen lying free in the left side of the mediastinum indicative of perforation with
mild air collection suggestive of pneumomediastinum. The central venous line
was removed after proving its malpositioning. The patient recovered within two
days with conservative treatment and a new central venous line was inserted
with guidance of ultrasound. Chemotherapy was then resumed.
Conclusions: This case
highlights the importance of inserting the central line under the guidance of
ultrasound and the superiority of CT scan over the chest x-ray accuracy in
diagnosing the chest complications.