title: Retained intraaortic balloon. Case report and review of the literature.
abstract: We report a case of intraaortic balloon entrapment in a 70-year-old man who underwent emergency triple coronary bypass. Intraaortic balloon rupture caused the formation of a clot inside the balloon that eventually was responsible for the balloon's entrapment at the aortic bifurcation. The patient had severe atherosclerosis of the aorta and iliac arteries. Balloon removal required aorto-iliac exposure and aorto-bifemoral bypass. After 16 months, he is symptom free and at home.
authors.affiliation: Divisione di Cardiochirurgia, Istituto Chirurgia Generale e dei Trapianti d'Organo, IRCCS Policlinico, San Matteo, Università, degli Studi di Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Grande
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Martinelli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Graffigna
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Viganò
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000601:surgery; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007423:Intra-Aortic Balloon Pumping / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000601:surgery