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Updated: Jun 16, 2026

Interventional Diagnostic Procedure: A Practical Guide for the Assessment of Coronary Vascular Function
Published on: March 15, 2022
Entrapment of hydrophilic coated coronary guidewire tips: which form of management is best?
Ahmet Karabulut1, Enver Daglar, Mahmut Cakmak
1Department Of Cardiology, Istanbul Medicine Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. drkarabulut@yahoo.com
Insights
Coronary guidewire entrapment, though rare, can be managed conservatively. This approach successfully treated three patients, leaving them asymptomatic after intervention.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Interventional Cardiology
- Medical Device Complications
Background:
- Coronary guidewire fracture, detachment, or entrapment are infrequent but significant complications in interventional cardiology.
- Various treatment strategies exist, but optimal management remains debated.
Observation:
- Presents three distinct cases of hydrophilic-coated coronary guidewire non-metallic tip entrapment.
- Conservative management was the primary strategy employed in these cases.
Findings:
- A practical approach involved securing the guidewire remnant to the coronary artery during the intervention.
- All three patients remained asymptomatic following the procedures.
Implications:
- Conservative management can be a safe and effective strategy for coronary guidewire entrapment.
- Highlights the importance of practical, minimally invasive techniques in managing device-related complications.
Abstract:
Fracture, detachment and entrapment of coronary guidewires is seen infrequently. Different treatment strategies have been performed for such cases in medical literature. Here, we present three different cases of hydrophilic coated coronary guidewire non-metallic tip entrapment. Conservative management was preferred as the main strategy, with a practical approach to fix the guidewire remnant to the coronary bed during intervention. All three patients were asymptomatic following the interventions. Besides case presentation and our treatment, we also briefly review the history and management strategies reported and discussed in the medical literature.
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