Ventricular arrhythmia onset during diagnostic coronary angiography with a 5F or 4F universal catheter.
Of 18,365 patients who underwent coronary angiography with a 4F or 5F universal catheter between April 2004 and May 2007, 24 (0.131%) experienced sustained ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation during the procedure. There was no significant difference in any clinical or angiographic characteristic between patients who had a ventricular arrhythmia and those who did not. Of the 24 episodes of ventricular arrhythmia, 14 were related to catheter manipulation, 8 to ischemia, and 2 to the contrast medium, while the cause could not be clearly established in 4. The incidence of ventricular arrhythmia with a universal catheter was 0.131%, and with a preformed catheter, 0.054% (P=.72). The study shows that serious ventricular arrhythmia occurs only rarely as a complication when coronary angiography is carried out using modern techniques and that imperfect manipulation of the catheter explains most episodes.
Chen
Jun
J
Departamento de Cardiología, Hospital Fuwai, Instituto Cardiovascular, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China. jilinchen@yahoo.com
Gao
LiJian
L
Yao
Min
M
Chen
Jilin
J
D002404:Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000209:etiology*; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000209:etiology*