AB023. SOH26AB_0111. Balloon snare technique for the retrieval of an abandoned chest tube guidewire: a case report and review of the literature

Background: Percutaneous chest drains are inserted for a variety of pleural pathologies and by a variety of medical specialties. The Seldinger technique allows for the safe and controlled insertion of chest tubes, and guidewire-associated complications are considered rare. A lost guidewire is considered a “never event”. Literature describing the retrieval of lost guidewires within the thorax necessitates major open cardiothoracic surgery. This case describes an alternative approach for the retrieval of a retained guidewire which occurred during insertion of a chest tube for a large volume pneumothorax.

Case Description: A review of the literature describing interventional methods for the retrieval of inadvertent foreign bodies was performed. There are limited reports on lost guidewires or other foreign bodies within the thorax. Low-profile interventional devices, such as angioplasty balloons, can be used to entrap the foreign body against an inner lumen to facilitate en bloc withdrawal under direct visualization using fluoroscopy.

Conclusions: We describe a novel approach with the potential application to other clinical scenarios as an alternative to major open surgical removal, and future studies will determine its modern-day practicality as a technique.

Keywords: Interventional; interventional radiology (IR); minimally invasive; chest drain; case report