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Indian Journal of Emergency Medicine 11(3):p 155-158, July -Sept 2025. | DOI: https://doi.org/10.21088/ijem.2395.311X.11325.2
Case Report
Route to the Pericardium: Journey of a Misplaced Central Venous Catheter
Abhishek Yadav, Saurabh Saini, Arun Kaushik, Kishalay Datta
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Attribution-Non-commercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)This license enables reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.
Indian Journal of Emergency Medicine 11(3):p 155-158, July -Sept 2025. | DOI: https://doi.org/10.21088/ijem.2395.311X.11325.2
How Cite This Article:
Yadav A, Saini S, et al. Route to the Pericardium: Journey of a Misplaced Central Venous Catheter. Ind J Emerg Med. 2025;11(3):155-158Timeline
Received : April 17, 2025
Accepted : June 19, 2025
Published : September 30, 2025
Abstract
Cardiac tamponade is a rare but fatal and often underdiagnosed complication of central venous catheter (CVC) placement, associated with high mortality. Imaging and clinical findings with high degree of suspicion helps in diagnosis of the condition in patients. This case emphasizes the critical importance of confirming the correct position of catheter tips prior to initiating any infusion therapy. Clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion for tamponade in patients whose clinical parameters and vital signs worsen following central line placement. Additionally, caution is advised during resuscitation efforts, and using the catheter in question should be avoided until proper placement is verified. In this case report, we discuss this highly critical case, the immediate emergency diagnosis and prompt treatment she received in the emergency department and final outcome.
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Data Sharing Statement
There are no additional data available. All raw data and code are available upon request.
Funding
This research received no funding.
Author Contributions
All authors contributed significantly to the work and approve its publication.
Ethics Declaration
This article does not involve any human or animal subjects, and therefore does not require ethics approval.
Acknowledgements
We would like to express our gratitude to the patients, their families, and all those who have contributed to this study.
Conflicts of Interest
No conflicts of interest.
About this article
Cite this article
Yadav A, Saini S, et al. Route to the Pericardium: Journey of a Misplaced Central Venous Catheter. Ind J Emerg Med. 2025;11(3):155-158
Licence:
Attribution-Non-commercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)This license enables reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.
| Received | Accepted | Published |
|---|---|---|
| April 17, 2025 | June 19, 2025 | September 30, 2025 |
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21088/ijem.2395.311X.11325.2
Keywords
Central venous CatheterCVP linePericardium •MisplacementSearch for Similar Articles
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Timeline
| Received | April 17, 2025 |
| Accepted | June 19, 2025 |
| Published | September 30, 2025 |
licence
Attribution-Non-commercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)
This license enables reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.
