Journal of Patient Safety & Quality Improvement

Journal of Patient Safety & Quality Improvement

THE HIDDEN COST OF A ROUTINE PROCEDURE: POINT OF CARE ULTRASOUND GUIDED LOCALISATION AND BEDSIDE RETRIEVAL OF A RETAINED PERIPHERAL INTRAVENOUS CANNULA FRAGMENT

Articles in Press

Document Type : Letter to the editor

Author
Karupothu . Rani
MD DNB ANAESTHESIOLOGY SENIOR RESIDENT AIIMS MANGALGIRI
10.22038/psj.2026.97037.1540
Abstract
Peripheral intravenous cannulation is one of the most frequently performed invasive procedures worldwide and is generally considered safe. Fracture and intravascular retention of peripheral intravenous catheter fragments are rare but potentially serious complications that may result in migration, embolisation, and the need for surgical intervention.



We report the case of a 60-year-old man who sustained a retained peripheral intravenous cannula fragment in a superficial forearm vein following routine cannulation during trauma resuscitation for a tibial fracture. Point-of-care ultrasonography using a high-frequency linear probe enabled rapid bedside localisation, skin marking, and targeted minimally invasive retrieval under local anaesthesia without fluoroscopy or formal operative exploration.



This case highlights the value of point-of-care ultrasonography as both a diagnostic and procedural adjunct in the management of retained peripheral intravenous catheter fragments and demonstrates a simple, reproducible bedside approach that may be particularly useful in emergency departments and resource-limited settings.this case report enhances the safety measures importance while doing an intervention
Keywords
Point-of-care ultrasound
Ultrasound-guided retrieval
Bedside procedure
Patient safety
Subjects
Journal of Patient Safety & Quality Improvement

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 18 August 2026