Perforations after percutaneous coronary interventions: clinical, angiographic, and therapeutic observations.
Coronary perforation is a rare, but potentially catastrophic, complication of percutaneous coronary intervention. A retrospective review of the Cardiology Quality Assurance Database was performed for all percutaneous coronary interventions (n = 8,932) at William Beaumont Hospital from October 1988 to December 1992. Coronary artery perforation was reported in 35 patients (0.4%), including after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA, 11/7,905, 0.14%), transluminal extraction coronary atherectomy (TEC, 6/420, 1.3%), directional coronary atherectomy (DCA, 1/249, 0.25%), and excimer laser coronary angioplasty (ELCA, 5/242, 2%); and none after high-speed mechanical rotational atherectomy with the Rotablator (MRA, 0/116, 0%). Perforations were classified by coronary angiography as free perforations (n = 10), contained perforations (n = 17), or other types of perforation (n = 8). Although perforation was apparent in 32 (91%) of 35 angiograms, delayed cardiac tamponade occurred in 3 patients (9%), despite the absence of angiographic evidence for perforation at the time of the procedure. Causes of perforation were the guidewire in 7 (20%), an interventional device in 26 (74%), and indeterminate in 2 (6%). Complex B2 or C lesions accounted for 83% of perforations. Final treatment included conservative therapy (reversal of anticoagulation and/or PTCA) in 22 (63%) and surgical intervention (with or without bypass surgery) in 13 (37%). Serious clinical complications included cardiac tamponade in 6 (17%), blood transfusion in 12 (34%), myocardial infarction in 9 (26%), and death in 3 (9%).
Ajluni
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SC
Division of Cardiology (Department of Medicine), William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Michigan 48073-6769.
Glazier
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Blankenship
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L
O'Neill
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Safian
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RD
D000368:Aged; D017130:Angioplasty / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000009:adverse effects; D017225:Atherectomy, Coronary / Q000009:adverse effects; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000293:injuries*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies