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The term stuck catheter refers to the condition in which a catheter is not removable from a central vein using standard techniques. Although it is a rare complication, in the last few years it has been reported ever more frequently in hemodialysis due to the widespread use of tunneled catheters. Poor knowledge of the correct procedures and limited experience and training of the specialist in facing this problem are the main reasons for catheter internalization. Stuck catheter is often diagnosed by the nephrologist, who should be competent enough to manage this clinical complication. Among the many options for removing a stuck catheter from the fibrin sleeve, an interventional radiology approach, mainly with endoluminal balloon dilatation, probably provides the best solution. Vascular surgery should be reserved to selected cases in which percutaneous techniques have failed. Nephrologists must play a central role in organizing the treatment of this complication with other specialists in order to avoid making mistakes that may preclude future positive results.

Central venous catheters are the most frequent causes of benign central vein stenosis. We report the case of a 79-year-old woman on hemodialysis through a twin catheter in the right internal jugular vein, presenting with superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome with patent SVC. The clinically driven endovascular therapy was conducted to treat the venous syndrome with a unilateral left brachiocephalic stent-graft without manipulation of the well-functioning catheter. The follow-up was uneventful until death 94 months later.

Aim: A long-term tunneled hemodialysis catheter can be difficult or impossible to pull out if a fibrin sleeve has attached it to the venous wall. We report the outcome of a refinement of Hong's technique for removing incarcerated catheters aimed at improving its feasibility and safety., Methods: We applied a modification of Hong's technique in four patients (two males, age ranging from 51 to 68 years) with jugular twin hemodialysis catheters (five of eight lines incarcerated). Hong pioneered the technique of endoballooning to expand a stuck central venous catheter, thus freeing it from adhesions. In our technical refinement, we cut the catheter close to its venous entry point in order to facilitate pullout and inserted a valved introducer as access for guide wires as well as for inflations of the catheter balloon. A stiff guide wire was placed in the inferior vena cava to avoid potential damage to heart cavities. Dilation was monitored under fluoroscopy with constrictions showing points where the catheter was incarcerated. If adhesions persisted through the same introducer, endoluminal dilations were repeated with a larger diameter balloon until the catheter was released. New catheters can be positioned using the stiff guide wire already in place. All removals were carried out under local anesthesia in an angiographic room by interventional radiologists., Results: All catheters were successfully removed without complications. Average fluoroscopy time for removal was 12 minutes. In the case of a Tesio catheter removed after 12 years because of infection, a computed tomography scan 2 months later revealed persistence of a calcified fibrin sleeve in the vessel., Conclusions: Hong's technique was confirmed to be a simple, safe and highly effective way to remove incarcerated long-term central venous catheters. The refinements we adopted made the procedure more flexible and possibly less prone to complications. By properly using ordinary tools available anywhere, Hong's technique could be considered Columbus' egg in this previously risky field.