Abdominal aortic perforation by an umbilical arterial catheter

A 275-week, 950 g infant was born by caesarean section. On admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), the infant was placed on ventilatory support, and umbilical catheters were inserted. Abdominal X-ray showed the 3.5F arterial catheter at the level of first lumbar vertebrae (figure 1A). The catheter was pulled out by 2 cm to reach an adequate low position. …