title: Fatal case of accidental perforation of ileum by pace wires during coronary bypass grafting.
abstract: In many centres, epicardal pace wires are routinely implanted during coronary artery bypass surgery to treat postoperative tachy- and brady-arrhythmias. We describe the case of an 88-year-old male, with severe comorbidity, who underwent a successful CABG, but incurred an unacknowledged iatrogenic perforation of the ileum with the placement of an epicardial pace wire. The patient developed septic shock and multi organ failure despite intra-abdominal surgical interventions and intensive care therapy, and died 6 days after CABG.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark.|Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark.
authors.forename: Carsten
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Simonsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lass
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark.
authors.forename: René C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Bleeg
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D007077:Ileal Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D007082:Ileum / Q000293:injuries*; D007416:Intestinal Perforation / Q000209:etiology*; D007431:Intraoperative Complications; D007813:Laparotomy; D008297:Male; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial / Q000009:adverse effects*
keywords: Coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG); Ileum perforation; Pace wire; Postoperative complication