Pushing a catheter remnant into the coronary tree: complication of the procedure? Maybe, but sometimes the fragment needs to be removed

Abstract

Patients with catheter fragments that were entrapped during percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty remain a particular challenge because little is known about the clinical outcome. Absolutely unique is the partially cutting of the dilator and the pushing of the fragment by the guidewire advancing into the femoral artery to the coronary tree. We describe this exceptionally complication with a complete coronary obstruction and an anterior myocardial infarction sustained by the retained fragment into the left main branch.