title: Coronary perforation during angioplasty: angiographic detection and demonstration of complete healing.
abstract: A patient is presented with localized perforation of the left anterior descending artery secondary to angioplasty balloon rupture. Despite a remarkable angiographic picture of coronary tear and dye extravasation into the surrounding pericardial tissue, the patient remained hemodynamically stable, and was medically treated. Five years later she redeveloped angina, and repeated coronary arteriography revealed complete healing of the perforation site. This case attests to the remarkable ability of the coronary artery to completely heal from a major wall trauma. Although a rare complication of coronary angioplasty, perforation can occur, and various management aspects should be considered.
authors.affiliation: Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, Medical College of Virginia, Richmond.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Topaz
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Cowley
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Vetrovec
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000293:injuries*; D005119:Extravasation of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Materials; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D012421:Rupture; D013997:Time Factors; D014945:Wound Healing