Background: Central venous catheters are useful instruments in monitoring of critical patients and are important roots for total parentral nutrition. The catheters are widely used in general wards and intensive care units. Their use may be associated with serious and rare complications.

Case presentation: We reported a 24 years old woman that admitted to Ghaem hospital Mashhad University of Medical Science, in Mashhad, Iran, because of penetrating chest wall injury and surgical exploration indicated due to massive hemorrhage. Central vein (right jugular vein) was canulated for resuscitation and monitoring. Superior vena cava was injured after canulation and presented with delay massive mediastinal hematoma.

Conclusion: We aim to introduce this rare complication and its management. This management could be conservative or surgical intervention according to severity of the vein damage.

Keywords: Trauma, superior vena cava, central venous, catheterization

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