Here are problems that can happen when the catheter is attached to your body:
Once you have it, the catheter can leak, get twisted, or come loose. You might get a blood clot or an infection, too.
- The catheter might injure the vein it goes into.
- Blood might leak out and cause a bruise or other problems. In most cases, the bleeding stops on its own.
- The catheter might cut your lung, which would make it collapse. If that happens, your medical team can reinflate your lung.
- Your heart might go off its normal rhythm. If so, it usually returns to normal by itself.