Abstract
Central venous catheters are frequently inserted for various indications. Insertion of a central venous catheter is not without risk; complications occur in more than 15% of the patients. Arterial puncture, hematoma, pneumothorax and hematothorax are among the most well-known and frequently reported complications. In this report, we present a remarkable case of acute diffuse edematous swelling of the thyroid gland as an unexpected and rare complication after attempted subclavian vein catheterization. Acute thyroid swelling rarely occurs after fine needle aspiration, and to our knowledge, we are the first to describe acute thyroid swelling after central venous catheter insertion.
Highlights
A 69-year-old male was admitted to our ICU for epileptic seizure activity and was treated for status epilepticus
The subclavian vein was the preferred site because the enlarged thyroid gland was clinically judged to interfere with the internal jugular vein approach
Palpation revealed a diffuse swollen thyroid gland without evidence of bleeding or crepitations, which was confirmed by ultrasound (Figure 1a)
Summary
A 69-year-old male was admitted to our ICU for epileptic seizure activity and was treated for status epilepticus. The subclavian vein was the preferred site because the enlarged thyroid gland was clinically judged to interfere with the internal jugular vein approach. Fifteen minutes after multiple unsuccessful attempts, progressive diffuse swelling of the neck was noticed. Palpation revealed a diffuse swollen thyroid gland without evidence of bleeding or crepitations, which was confirmed by ultrasound (Figure 1a).
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