A novel use of ultrasound for the extraction of a fractured umbilical arterial catheter

A 7-day-old 600 grams baby with a post-conceptual age of 29 weeks presented with features suggestive of hollow viscous perforation, and was posted for an emergency laparotomy. In addition, she had a fractured indwelling umbilical arterial catheter which was planned for extraction in the same sitting. Radiological imaging showed that the catheter extended into the stump of the umbilical cord. She underwent exploratory laparotomy and ileal resection anastomosis, following which the stump was explored. However, the catheter could not be identified, and we suspected that it had embolised into the aorta. Using ultrasound guidance, we identified the catheter within the aorta. The aorta was cross-clamped, and the catheter extracted through an aortotomy which was later sutured.