Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 9, 2025

Use of a Percutaneous Ventricular Assist Device/Left Atrium to Femoral Artery Bypass System for Cardiogenic Shock
Published on: August 16, 2021
The Need for Surgery After Vascular or Cardiac Trauma, or Technical Adverse Events in the Congenital Cardiac
Ralf Holzer1, Sarosh P Batlivala2, Brian Boe3
1UC Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA, USA. ralfholzer@gmail.com.
Insights
Adverse events in pediatric cardiac catheterization are rare but serious. Prompt surgical intervention improves survival rates for vascular trauma and technical complications.
Area of Science:
- Interventional Cardiology
- Pediatric Cardiac Surgery
- Medical Device Safety
Background:
- Limited data exists on surgical interventions following adverse events (AE) in pediatric and congenital cardiac catheterization.
- Understanding specific AE types and their outcomes is crucial for improving patient safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the frequency and outcomes of specific AE requiring immediate surgical intervention.
- To identify risk factors associated with adverse outcomes after cardiac catheterization.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of data from the C3PO registry (01/2014-12/2017) for 25,731 cases.
- Identification and categorization of vascular/cardiac trauma and technical AE (e.g., stent embolization).
- Statistical analysis of AE relationship with adverse outcomes (surgery, ECMO, death).
Main Results:
- Vascular/cardiac trauma occurred in 0.36% of cases; technical AE in 0.68%.
- Adverse outcomes occurred in 26% of vascular/cardiac trauma cases and 14% of technical AE cases.
- Survival after surgery was 68% for trauma and 96% for technical AE; emergent cases had higher adverse outcome risk.
Conclusions:
- Significant cardiac/vascular trauma and device migration are rare but high-consequence AE.
- High survival is achievable with surgical and ECMO support.
- Case-specific surgical backup is essential, particularly for cardiac/vascular trauma.
Abstract:
Data on the frequency and outcome of surgical interventions as a result of adverse events (AE) encountered in the pediatric and congenital cardiac catheterization laboratory are limited. This study analyzes the outcomes of specific types of AE that are most likely to require immediate surgical intervention. Data from the C3PO registry were analyzed to identify specific types of significant vascular/cardiac trauma or technical adverse events (stent/device/coil embolization/migration). The relationship between these AE and an "adverse outcome" (defined as either surgery, ECMO, or death) were analyzed. Between 01/2014 and 12/2017, 25,731 cases were entered into the C3PO registry. Vascular or cardiac trauma were observed in 92 cases (0.36% cases in C3PO), and technical adverse events were observed in 176 cases (0.68% cases in C3PO). The two highest procedure type risk categories (PREDIC3T) accounted for 61% of the cases in the cardiac/vascular trauma cohort, and 34% in the technical AE cohort. For vascular/cardiac trauma, 24 (26%) had an adverse outcome, with ECMO in 8 (9%), surgery in 19 (20%), and death in 9 (10%). For technical AE 25 (14%) had an adverse outcome, with ECMO in 3 (2%), surgery in 23 (13%), and death in 3 (2%). Survival after cardiac surgery secondary to an AE was 68% for cardiac/vascular trauma, and 96% for technical adverse events. RF perforation of the pulmonary valve was the procedure most likely to result in cardiac/vascular trauma (10%), with 57% of those having an adverse outcome. Atrial septal interventions accounted for 29% of all adverse outcomes in the cardiac/vascular trauma cohort. Non-elective or emergent cases were associated with a significantly higher incidence of an adverse outcome for both, cardiac/vascular trauma (OR 7.1) and technical adverse events (OR 2.7). Surgery within the last 30 days was associated with a significantly higher incidence of an adverse outcome for cardiac/vascular trauma only (OR 4.2). Significant cardiac/vascular trauma or stent/device/coil embolization/migration are rare, but high consequence AE. With appropriate surgical and ECMO backup, a high survival can be achieved. The potential need for and impact of immediate surgical backup seems to be higher for cardiac/vascular trauma (in particular after specific case types), than for device/coil migration/embolization, and as such case specific backup arrangements are required.
Related Concept Videos
Cardiac Catheterization I: Pre-Procedure Overview
Cardiac Catheterization III: Left Heart Catheterization
Cardiac Catheterization II: Right Heart Catheterization
Cardiac Catheterization IV: Nursing Management
Cardiomyopathy VII: Pre and Post Operative Nursing Management
Aneurysm IV: Nursing Management

