Thoracic duct injury associated with left internal jugular vein catheterization: anatomic considerations.

Ultrasound (US)-guided cannulation of the internal jugular vein (IJV) has become the preferred approach for venous access as a result of its higher success rate and lower incidence of complications. This report describes a case of thoracic duct injury during US-guided left IJV catheterization. The normal and variant anatomy of the thoracic duct in the neck is illustrated.