Key result
Peripherally inserted central catheters can be associated with right heart thrombus in transit and pulmonary thromboembolism, requiring prompt imaging and individualized management.
Why the study?
Right heart thrombus in transit is a medical emergency with mortality over 40%, but clinical management and diagnostic vigilance surrounding PICC-associated cases require illustration.
Case Report (n=2)
Right heart thrombus in transit is a rare but life-threatening complication of PICC-associated deep vein thrombosis that requires prompt imaging and individualized management with anticoagulation or thrombectomy.
Case reports flag right heart thrombus risk in peripheral venous thrombosis; leaves open optimal management strategies.
Right heart thrombus in transit or "free-floating right heart thrombus" is defined as thrombus(i) arising from the deep veins that embolises to the right atrium or right ventricle before reaching the pulmonary vasculature. It is almost always associated with pulmonary thromboembolism and is a medical emergency with reported mortality rates of over 40%. We present two cases of right heart thrombus in transit with pulmonary thromboembolism resulting from venous thrombosis associated with peripherally inserted central catheters that were managed with different approaches. The cases highlight that clinicians should have a low threshold to utilise imaging modalities such as computerised tomography and transthoracic echocardiography when there is an untoward change in physiological parameters among patients with peripherally inserted central catheters, particularly those with risk factors for peripherally inserted central catheter associated venous thrombosis. Furthermore, procedural optimisation surrounding peripherally inserted central catheters, such as insertion technique and choice of lumen size, is underscored.
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Hussain et al. (2023) conducted a case report in Right heart thrombus in transit and pulmonary thromboembolism (n=2). Peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC) was evaluated. Peripherally inserted central catheters can be associated with right heart thrombus in transit and pulmonary thromboembolism, requiring prompt imaging and individualized management.
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