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Updated: Jul 26, 2026

Utilizing Percutaneous Ventricular Assist Devices in Acute Myocardial Infarction Complicated by Cardiogenic Shock
Published on: June 12, 2021
A case report of ventricular fibrillation following Shockwave intravascular lithotripsy during percutaneous coronary
Lars Jakobsen1, Evald Høj Christiansen2, Troels Thim2
1Department of Cardiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 99, Aarhus, DK-8200, Denmark. larsj@dadlnet.dk.
Background:
Shockwave intravascular lithotripsy (S-IVL) is widely used during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of calcified coronary arteries. Ventricular capture beats during S-IVL are common but arrhythmias are rare.
Case Presentation:
A 75-year-old woman was scheduled for PCI to a short, heavily calcified chronic total occlusion of the right coronary artery. After wiring of the occlusion, S-IVL was used to predilated the calcified stenosis. During S-IVL, the patient developed ventricular fibrillation twice.
Conclusion:
To our knowledge, this is only the second reported case of VF during S-IVL. Although very rare, it is important to be aware of this potential and serious complication.
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