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Totally implanted central venous access devices for chemotherapy (chemoport) are being used increasingly in lung cancer patients. Vascular catheters are associated with various complications including infection, thrombosis as well as spontaneous fractures and embolization of the catheter, which is known as 'pinch-off syndrome'. 'Pinch-off syndrome' refers to the compression of a subclavian central venous catheter between the clavicle and first rib resulting in an intermittent or permanent obstruction, which can lead to tears, transection, or embolization. We report two cases of fractured and embolized implanted subclavian venous catheters in which the fragments were removed percutaneously. A 62-year-old man presented with back pain with a duration of a few weeks. The chest radiograph revealed complete transsection and embolization of the catheter into the right atrium. In addition, a 47-year-old woman with a chemoport had a grade 3 pinch-off sign in a chest radiograph demonstrating complete transsection and embolization of the catheter into the pulmonary artery. Both cases were managed by retrieving the embolized distal fragment percutaneously and removing the proximal section of the catheter.

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Paragonimiasis is a parasitic infection that occurs following the ingestion of infectious Paragonimus metacercariae, which occurs as a result of eating raw or undercooked freshwater crabs or crayfish. Pulmonary paragonimiasis is the most common clinical manifestation of this infection. Human paragonimiasis occurs sporadically. We experienced a case of pulmonary paragonimiasis in a 35-year-old woman with left lower chest pain. The patient had hypereosinophilia and a pleural effusion. The diagnosis was confirmed by positive ELISA (Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) that detected Paragonimiasis westermani antibody in the serum. We treated the patient with praziquantel for two days at a daily dosage of 75 mg/kg. Left pleuritic pain and pleural effusion improved after treatment. However, similar symptoms and pleural effusion developed recurrently for the first 3 courses of treatment with praziquantel. Upon the fourth round of treatment, the patient made a full recovery.