Damage to pulmonary artery catheter during transmyocardial laser revascularization.
This case report describes damage to a pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) during transmyocardial laser revascularization. We observed persistent bleeding and a temperature reading of "too high" from the temperature connection port of PAC during cardiopulmonary bypass while the patient's nasopharyngeal temperature read 34 degrees C. This alerted us to the possibility of PAC damage during creation of laser channels in the right coronary artery territory on the inferior surface of the heart. This is a unique complication related to this coronary revascularization procedure.


CONCLUSIONS
We report an unusual case of pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) damage during transmyocardial laser revascularization (TMLR). This observation should alert the anesthesiologist to the fact that the PAC may be damaged when TMLR is performed on the right side of the heart. We recommend that the PAC be withdrawn during this procedure.
Scott
Bharathi H
BH
Departments of Anesthesiology and Surgery, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, New York 11794-8480, USA. bdcott@anesthes.sunysb.edu
Ippolito
Anthony J
AJ
Krukenkamp
Irvin B
IB
D001831:Body Temperature / Q000502:physiology; D002407:Catheterization, Swan-Ganz / Q000295:instrumentation*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000601:surgery; D004868:Equipment Failure; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology*; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009204:Myocardial Revascularization / Q000009:adverse effects*