Successful endovascular thrombectomy of a dislodged hemodialysis catheter fragment and thrombus from the superior vena cava via the basilic vein: A case report

In multimorbid patients with end-stage kidney disease awaiting renal transplantation, thromboembolic events may significantly complicate and delay the transplantation process. In the period bridging the transplant, hemodialysis is often carried out using a hemodialysis catheter, which is susceptible to complications. We report a case of a 43-year-old woman with Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibodies negative vasculitis, awaiting an ABO-incompatible kidney transplant, and whose hemodialysis catheter required removal due to improper functioning. Computed tomography revealed the presence of a persistent dislodged fragment of the hemodialysis catheter, accompanied by thrombus formation in the superior vena cava and internal jugular vein. We successfully performed endovascular, minimally invasive thrombectomy via right basilic vein access, removing thrombus and dislodged catheter fragments from the superior vena cava. We then reimplanted a new tunneled hemodialysis catheter. This case underscores the feasibility and clinical benefits of targeted interventional techniques in managing complex complications in patients with end-stage kidney disease.