Cardiovascular ultrasound in detecting central venous catheter thrombosis in the intensive care unit: Splenectomy and antiphospholipid syndrome

Abstract

Venous thrombosis of the upper extremities is becoming increasingly prevalent in the intensive care unit as a result of chronic in-dwelling central venous catheters. We report two rare cases in which combined transoesophageal echocardiography and vascular ultrasound examination aided in the identification of catheter-related thrombosis in two patients suffering from splenectomy-induced thrombocytosis and antiphospholipid syndrome respectively.