Balloon entrapment in a coronary artery: Potential serious complications of balloon rupture

Abstract

We report a case of balloon catheter rupture with subsequent entrapment during percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. The presence of a calcified, distal lesion is believed to have prevented withdrawal of the broken catheter. A nonsurgical retrieval technique, using a second dilation system, was used to free the catheter.

Stent Balloon Entrapment At Left Main Stem; A Low Resource Setting Approach

“…3,4 Severely calcified lesions and diffuse distal lesions prevent the withdrawal of the broken fragments or sometimes the whole device may entrap inside mainly when a device undergoes severe operating stress such as rotating a guide wire in a single direction while the tip is held fixed in a total occlusion and with inflation of balloon catheter past its operating pressure range in an attempt to dilate a resistant stenosis. 5 A very tight speculated calcified plaque can catch the devices like balloons even at nominal pressure inflation as in our case scenario. On rare occasions, desperate manipulations may lead to detachment of a part of the guide wire or dilatation catheter with fragments remaining in the coronary artery.3This may also include dislodgement of the stent from its mounted balloon or failure of the stent delivery balloon to inflate or deflate properly.…”

Successful sealing of perforation of saphenous vein graft by coronary stent

“…This did not seem to be the case in our report, as balloon and artery diameter appeared to be similar. Balloon rupture is seen infrequently and may be associated with serious consequences like intimal dissection, coronary air embolism, and retained catheter fragments [5,6]. Perforation could be secondary to puncture of the arterial wall by stent edges [3], which is likely to be the cause in our patient.…”

Entrapped coronary angioplasty guidewire and its retrieval from aorta and LAD

“…In such cases, surgical removal is usually required [6]. Surgical intervention should be accompanied by TEE to evaluate the distal extent of the wire or catheter.…”