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Updated: Aug 8, 2026

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Published on: February 5, 2021

An avoidable complication of percutaneous coronary intervention-entrapment of stent and disconnected balloon catheter

Tsung-Hsien Lin1, Chaw-Chi Chiu, Huai-Min Chen

  • 1Division of Cardiology, Kaohsiung Medical University Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

The Kaohsiung Journal of Medical Sciences
|May 9, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Catheter entrapment during percutaneous coronary intervention is a rare complication. Physicians must consider vessel angulation during coronary stenting to prevent this life-threatening event.

Area of Science:

  • Interventional Cardiology
  • Cardiovascular Surgery

Background:

  • Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is a common procedure for treating coronary artery disease.
  • Coronary artery stents are used to maintain vessel patency after angioplasty.
  • Complications of PCI include stent thrombosis and anticoagulation issues.

Observation:

  • A 60-year-old female with stable angina pectoris underwent stent insertion in the left circumflex artery.
  • The coronary stent and balloon catheter became entrapped at an acutely angulated segment.
  • Emergency surgical removal of the entrapped stent was required.

Findings:

  • The case highlights stent entrapment as a rare but serious complication of PCI.
  • Extremely angulated coronary artery segments pose a risk for successful stenting.
  • Successful surgical removal and subsequent coronary artery bypass grafting were performed.

Implications:

  • Awareness of vessel tortuosity is crucial for interventional cardiologists.
  • Careful pre-procedural planning can mitigate risks in complex coronary anatomy.
  • This complication underscores the importance of surgical preparedness in interventional cardiology.

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