Safety of metallic surgical clips in patients undergoing high-field-strength magnetic resonance imaging

Jeffrey P. Gold, William Pulsinelli, Patricia Winchester, Paula W. Brill, Michael Jacewicz, O. Wayne Isom

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

16 Scopus citations

Abstract

Use of metallic clips with ferromagnetic properties in patients undergoing a large variety of surgical procedures, and in particular, in coronary artery and other vascular reconstructions, has become increasingly popular. The safety of these commonly used surgical clips when subjected to high-intensity diagnostic magnetic resonance imaging fields is still debated. Commonly used hemostatic metallic clips manufactured by the Weck and US Surgical Corporations were tested in an in vitro system to assess their safety with regard to migration and displacement. The two tested hemostatic metallic clips proved safe and did not migrate or become dislodged when they underwent magnetic resonance imaging scans. This is in direct contrast to multiple cerebral aneurysm clips, also tested, which have highly ferromagnetic properties and were previously shown to migrate with disastrous results in patients undergoing diagnostic magnetic resonance imaging scans. This study supports the continued widespread use of small metallic hemostatic clips in the myriad of procedures in which they are presently used and illustrates the need for methods of evaluating such devices before they are clinically implanted.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)643-645
Number of pages3
JournalThe Annals of Thoracic Surgery
Volume48
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 1989
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Surgery
  • Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
  • Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine

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