Retained Guidewire Following Perforator Vein Ablation
- 1Internal Medicine, Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, East Lansing, USA
- 2Vascular Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA
- 3Vascular Surgery, New York University Langone Hospital-Brooklyn, Brooklyn, USA
Abstract
Wire embolization is a rare but potentially serious complication of endovascular procedures. Endovenous thermal ablation is a minimally invasive procedure widely used to treat chronic venous insufficiency. Herein, we report a case of guidewire embolization into the posterior tibial and popliteal veins during endovenous laser ablation treatment that was successfully managed with open surgical retrieval. Because of the extensive length and location of the retained guidewire, inability to obtain reliable distal venous access, and concern for further migration or venous injury with percutaneous manipulation, open surgical retrieval was selected. The guidewire was successfully removed through popliteal vein exploration without perioperative complications. This case highlights the importance of recognizing retained intravascular foreign bodies promptly and maintaining open surgical retrieval as an option when endovascular techniques increase procedural risk.
Related
- Left Inferior Pulmonary Vein Thrombosis and Secondary Lung Infarction Following Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation: A Diagnostic Challenge.
- Extent of posterior wall lesion following pulmonary vein isolation with pentaspline pulsed field and cryoballoon ablation: the potential role of deployment technique.
- Operative management of abdominal bulge following deep inferior epigastric perforator flap breast reconstruction: a systematic review of repair strategies and outcomes
- Durability and reconnection patterns at time of repeat ablation after first-time pulmonary vein isolation by monopolar focal pulsed field ablation
- Pulmonary Vein Isolation with Different Single-Shot Ablation Devices in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation: A Prospective Observational Single-Center Clinical Evaluation
BibTeX
@article{sanka2026retained,
title = {{Retained Guidewire Following Perforator Vein Ablation}},
author = {Soumith Sanka and Jesse Chait and Enrico Ascher and Anil Hingorani},
journal = {Cureus},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.7759/cureus.117445},
url = {https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.117445},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Retained Guidewire Following Perforator Vein Ablation
AU - Soumith Sanka
AU - Jesse Chait
AU - Enrico Ascher
AU - Anil Hingorani
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/04
JO - Cureus
DO - 10.7759/cureus.117445
UR - https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.117445
AB - Wire embolization is a rare but potentially serious complication of endovascular procedures. Endovenous thermal ablation is a minimally invasive procedure widely used to treat chronic venous insufficiency. Herein, we report a case of guidewire embolization into the posterior tibial and popliteal veins during endovenous laser ablation treatment that was successfully managed with open surgical retrieval. Because of the extensive length and location of the retained guidewire, inability to obtain reliable distal venous access, and concern for further migration or venous injury with percutaneous manipulation, open surgical retrieval was selected. The guidewire was successfully removed through popliteal vein exploration without perioperative complications. This case highlights the importance of recognizing retained intravascular foreign bodies promptly and maintaining open surgical retrieval as an option when endovascular techniques increase procedural risk.
SN - 2168-8184
ER -