Surgical rescue after left anterior descending catheter entrapment causing cardiogenic shock

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Interventional Cardiology
• Surgical Innovation

Background:

• Device entrapment during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is a rare yet critical complication.
• Prompt management is crucial, as it can necessitate emergency surgery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report a case of balloon catheter entrapment in the left anterior descending (LAD) artery during PCI.
• To highlight the successful management of this rare complication.

Main Methods:

• A case study detailing an elective PCI procedure.
• Description of the complication, patient's acute deterioration, and subsequent emergency surgical intervention.

Main Results:

• Successful retrieval of the entrapped balloon catheter via emergency surgery.
• The patient underwent distal bypass grafting.
• The intervention was life-saving, resolving acute myocardial ischemia and cardiac arrest.

Conclusions:

• Emergency surgical retrieval and bypass grafting can be life-saving in cases of entrapped devices during PCI.
• This case underscores the importance of preparedness for rare but severe complications in interventional cardiology.