A multiinstitutional review of central venous line complications: retained intravascular fragments.

Background: There have been many reports of complications of central venous lines in children but limited discussion of the specific problem of retained intravascular fragments after attempted removal. We report on a series of 6 patients from 2 tertiary pediatric hospitals that had intravascular segments of long-term central venous lines that could not be removed and so were left in situ.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective multiinstitutional review of long-term central venous lines (Broviacs, Port-A-Caths, and Hickmans) removed in the operating room with a focused chart review and prospective follow-up of those patients that had a failed attempt at removal.

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia: experience without extracoporeal membrane oxygenation.

While extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is used in the management of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), its value is questioned. The charts of all newborn infants who presented in respiratory distress due to CDH over the past 27 years were reviewed. Inborn versus outborn, year of repair, use of ultrasound (US), and the predictive value of various parameters was evaluated.