Retention of a catheter guidewire inside a patient following central venous catheter (CVC) insertion is a never event — a serious, preventable patient safety incident that should not occur when correct clinical procedures are followed. Guidewires retained in the cardiovascular system can migrate to the heart or pulmonary vasculature, cause cardiac arrhythmias, perforation, infection, and thrombosis. When a guidewire is not counted and retrieved before the procedure is complete, the clinician and the hospital have failed below the required standard.
How guidewire retention occurs
- Failure to count the guidewire as part of a procedural safety checklist
- Distraction during the procedure
- The guidewire is obscured under wound dressings and not identified until X-ray
- Post-procedure chest X-ray taken but guidewire not identified on the film
Consequences of retained guidewire
- Cardiac arrhythmia from guidewire in the right ventricle or pulmonary artery
- Cardiac or vascular perforation
- Systemic infection from the retained foreign body
- The need for complex interventional radiology or surgical retrieval
- Psychological harm
Frequently asked questions
Can I claim for a guidewire left inside me after a central line insertion?
Yes. Retained guidewire is a never event — it should not occur when the required procedural checks are followed. A claim is very likely to succeed on breach of duty; compensation will depend on the harm caused.