Newton’s Law to the Rescue: Therapeutic Effects of Gravity Aiding the Management of a Migratory Venous Foreign Body—A Case Report

The management of intravascular metallic foreign bodies (FB) can be difficult and challenging. We report a case of a migrating FB, initially within the femoral vein which subsequently migrated to the intrahepatic venacava. Following a change of posture, the metallic FB moved with gravity against the normal venous blood flow to the left renal vein. It was finally fixed in position in a peripheral branch of the renal vein using an intravascular stent. Employing gravity as a therapeutic intervention and the technique used in isolating the FB has not, to our knowledge, been reported before. A case is described, and the literature is reviewed.

[1]  J. Kettenbach,et al.  Endovascular Management of Lost or Misplaced Intravascular Objects: Experiences of 12 Years , 2008, CardioVascular and Interventional Radiology.

[2]  J. Espiritu,et al.  Pulmonary hypertension due to a retained totally implantable venous access device fragment. , 2007, Chest.

[3]  J. Karemaker,et al.  Mathematical modeling of gravitational effects on the circulation: importance of the time course of venous pooling and blood volume changes in the lungs. , 2006, American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology.

[4]  R. Sheth,et al.  Percutaneous Retrieval of Misplaced Intravascular Foreign Objects with the Dormia Basket: An Effective Solution , 2007, CardioVascular and Interventional Radiology.

[5]  J. Statler,et al.  Intravascular bullet migration: a report of two cases. , 2005, Military medicine.

[6]  K. Koseoglu,et al.  Retrieval of intravascular foreign bodies with goose neck snare. , 2004, European journal of radiology.

[7]  A. Michalopoulos,et al.  Acute postoperative pulmonary thromboembolism as a result of intravascular migration of a pigtail ureteral stent. , 2002, Anesthesia and analgesia.

[8]  A. Gabelmann,et al.  Percutaneous retrieval of lost or misplaced intravascular objects. , 2001, AJR. American journal of roentgenology.

[9]  I. Raad,et al.  Intravascular-catheter-related infections , 1998, The Lancet.

[10]  T. Egglin,et al.  Retrieval of intravascular foreign bodies: experience in 32 cases. , 1995, AJR. American journal of roentgenology.

[11]  J. C. Lin,et al.  Non-surgical retrieval of intravascular foreign body: experience of 12 cases. , 1994, European journal of radiology.

[12]  C. Way.  Intrathoracic and intravascular migratory foreign bodies. , 1989 .

[13]  C. V. Van Way.  Intrathoracic and intravascular migratory foreign bodies. , 1989, The Surgical clinics of North America.

[14]  M. Debakey,et al.  Intravascular migratory bullets. , 1979, American journal of surgery.

[15]  R. Freeark,et al.  Migratory traumatic cardiovascular foreign bodies. , 1978, Circulation.

[16]  N. Barrett,et al.  Foreign bodies in the cardiovascular system , 1950, The British journal of surgery.

[17]  W. Davey,et al.  The surgical pursuit and removal of a metallic foreign body from the systemic venous circulation , 1947 .