[A case report of entrapment of PTCA balloon catheter caused by its rupture]

This is a report of a rare case in which an angioplasty balloon catheter became entrapped within the lumen of the coronary artery after the balloon ruptured during percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). The patient was a 69-year-old man who underwent elective PTCA of the circumflex coronary artery (Cx) with USCI 2.5 mm new Probe. The inflation failed to dilate the lesion up to 18 bar; at this pressure, balloon rupture was observed. Any attempt to withdraw the balloon catheter across the lesion was not successful, and then the patient was transferred to the operating room for removal of the balloon catheter. After establishing cardiopulmonary bypass, an arteriotomy in the Cx confirmed that the balloon fragment had become entrapped at a sharp edge of calcific stenosis after balloon rupture. The entrapped catheter was successfully removed from the arteriotomy of the Cx, and coronary bypass grafting was performed to the left anterior descending artery which had restenosis after PTCA 3 months ago. The patient had an uneventful postoperative course and was discharged in excellent condition 30 days after surgery. The balloon rupture of PTCA had been considered a minor problem, however, as this case demonstrated, this seemingly benign complication may lead to potentially disastrous consequences.