Central venous catheter placement: where is the tip?

The insertion of central venous catheters is a common bedside procedure performed in intensive care units. Here, we present a case of an 82-year-old man who underwent insertion of a central venous catheter in the internal jugular vein without perceived complications. Postprocedural radiographs showed rostral migration of the catheter, and computed tomography performed coincidentally showed cannulation of the jugular bulb at the level of the jugular foramen. To our knowledge, this is the first report to document migration of a central venous catheter from the internal jugular vein into the dural sinuses, as confirmed by computed tomography. The case highlights the importance of acquiring postprocedural radiographs for all insertions of central venous catheters to confirm catheter placement.