Left Main Approach for Retrieval of Retained Guidewire Fragment

• Published in: Journal of cardiac surgery Vol. 27; no. 3; pp. 307 - 308
• Main Authors: Al‐Amri, Hussein S., AL‐Moghairi, Abdulrahman M, Calafiore, Antonio M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malden, USA Blackwell Publishing Inc 01.05.2012
• Subjects: Adult; Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary - adverse effects; Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary - instrumentation; Anterior Wall Myocardial Infarction - diagnostic imaging; Anterior Wall Myocardial Infarction - surgery; Aorta - surgery; Aortography; Coronary Angiography; Coronary Thrombosis - etiology; Coronary Thrombosis - surgery; Coronary Vessels - pathology; Coronary Vessels - surgery; Foreign Bodies - diagnostic imaging; Foreign Bodies - etiology; Foreign Bodies - surgery; Humans; Male
• ISSN: 0886-0440; 1540-8191
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1540-8191.2011.01352.x

Entrapment and detachment of guidewire fractures during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are very rare, but can lead to life‐threatening complications such as embolization, thrombus formation, and perforation. Surgical extraction of the remnant fragments is recommended if the percutaneous retrieval is not possible. We present a case of remnant guidewire into the left anterior descending artery (LAD) and aorta that led to acute coronary thrombosis following primary angioplasty. Surgical retrieval was possible only through a left main (LM) approach. (J Card Surg 2012;27:307‐308)