title: Entrapment of broken guidewire in the left main coronary artery during percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.
abstract: The distal end of a flexible, steerable guidewire broke during an attempted percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty of the left anterior descending coronary artery and was retained in the left main coronary artery. It was successfully removed surgically. Etiology of, management of, and precautions for avoiding this complication are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Division of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Asheville, North Carolina.
authors.forename: G K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Sethi
authors.forename: T B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Ferguson
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Scott
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000601:surgery; D004630:Emergencies; D004868:Equipment Failure; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male