Large Epicardial Hematoma After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: Multimodality Imaging

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Interventional Cardiology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Epicardial hematoma is a rare but serious complication following coronary interventions.
• Prompt diagnosis and management are crucial for patient outcomes.

Observation:

• A case of epicardial hematoma developing shortly after a coronary intervention is presented.
• Angiogram review revealed a deep distal positioning of a non-polymer jacketed wire.

Findings:

• The deep distal positioning of the non-polymer jacketed wire was identified as the probable cause of the epicardial hematoma.
• Multimodality imaging played a critical role in diagnosing and guiding the management of this adverse event.

Implications:

• This case underscores the importance of careful wire manipulation during coronary interventions.
• Multimodality imaging is essential for the accurate diagnosis and effective management of post-procedural epicardial hematomas.
• Understanding potential complications associated with specific device types is vital for interventional cardiologists.