Cardiac perforation with tamponade during cardiac catheterization

Iatrogenic Cardiovascular Disease Secondary to Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedures

The number of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in cardiology continues to grow. These pro cedures are generally considered safe or of minimal risk to the patient. However, it is important to remember that significant complications may occur, and in each patient the risk: benefit ratio must be carefully weighed. In this review, the complications documented in the medical literature resulting from the use of cardiologic interventions and procedures are discussed. A thorough knowledge of these complications and their precipitat ing factors can help minimize the risk to the patient.

Cardiac tamponade in the "new device" era: evaluation of 6999 consecutive percutaneous coronary interventions

BACKGROUND

The incidence of cardiac perforation and pericardial tamponade appears to be increasing in the era of new coronary interventional devices compared with coronary balloon angioplasty.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We reviewed 6999 consecutive percutaneous coronary interventions performed during 1994 to 1996 in a single urban university hospital catheterization laboratory. Data had been collected prospectively as part of an ongoing quality assurance program. Fifteen patients had cardiac tamponade within 36 hours of the procedure. Only 6 of these occurred during the interventional procedure; the others occurred 2 to 36 hours later. The median patient age was 72 years. Nine (60%) patients were female. Three patients received abciximab. Five perforations were at the target coronary artery site, 3 were caused by a guide wire tip in the distal part of the target artery, and 7 represented right ventricular perforations caused by a temporary pacemaker wire. Five of the 7 right ventricular perforations occurred during rotational atherectomy procedures. Diagnosis was aided by immediate echocardiography. Treatment was medical, including pericardiocentesis, in 6 cases. The other 9 patients required surgical drainage and repair. All patients survived the index hospitalization. At 18-month follow-up, 1 patient had died, and all others were without apparent sequelae.

CONCLUSIONS

Tamponade after percutaneous coronary intervention is not rare in the "new device" era (overall incidence 0.2%); tamponade after percutaneous coronary intervention is often delayed and may occur outside the catheterization suite; patients are more likely to be female and elderly; immediate echocardiography is an essential aid to diagnosis and prompt treatment; and the use of temporary right ventricular pacing catheters must be reexamined.

MILITANCY TRAUMA : PENETRATING AND NONPENETRATING CARDIAC INJURY

Two hundred and eighty patients with serious chest injuries were treated at a service hospital during a period of 41 months. Out of 9 patients who suffered cardiac trauma S had penetrating cardiac injuries, 2 had penetrating pericardial injury and 2 patients had myocardial contusions. Myocardial contusions simulated myocardial infarction. All patients except one had polytrauma, associated injury to the lung or intra-abdominal organs. Early evacuation, resuscitation, high index of suspicion for cardiac injury and prompt surgical intervention were the keys to successful management in these patients. Thoracotomy was performed to repair the myocardial perforation and lacerated lung injuries. Associated infra-abdominal injuries were managed with laparotomy. Two patients died due to lack of cardiopulmonary bypass facilities and resistant cardiac arrhythmias. Seven patients had uneventful recovery.

Surgical treatment for right ventricular perforation caused by transvenous pacing electrodes: a report of three cases

We experienced three cases of right ventricular perforation that were induced by transvenous pacing electrodes. The patients were a 72-year-old man who underwent percutaneous transluminal coronary recanalization and angioplasty, an 80-year-old woman who had temporary transvenous pacing for a complete atrioventricular block induced by acute valvular heart failure, and a 44-year-old man who had received a permanent pacemaker. All three patients were treated surgically. The first and second patients demonstrated either cardiac tamponade or hemopericardium necessitating pericardial drainage. Spontaneous hemostasis did not occur in cases 1 and 2, due to either anticoagulant therapy or myocardial degeneration. Such patients require surgical closure of the perforation and pericardial drainage as soon as pericardial effusion is confirmed. In contrast, middle-aged individuals without myocardial damage, such as patient 3, need only a simple removal and repositioning of the electrode followed by serial echocardiography.

Endomyocardial biopsy with a modified bioptome introducer sheath: focus on diagnostic yield and prevention of complications

With a focus directed on the potential diagnostic yield of tissue biopsy in suspected myocardial disease, transvascular endomyocardial biopsies were carried out prospectively in 130 patients. In 149 out of 153 consecutive procedures, where the number of associated major complications was less than 1%, King's bioptome and a specially designed radiopaque long introducer catheter were used. The rather thickwalled sheath had a conical tip which facilitated percutaneous entry and a preshaped distal bending which was particularly useful in the right ventricle for obtaining a steady and safe position in the direction of the interventricular septum. With respect to the histopathological information from an average of 4.2 biopsies per patient, a high clinical yield was gained in 28% of the patients, in the form of specific diagnoses and/or findings influencing subsequent therapy, and useful diagnostic information was gleaned from a further 53%. Thus, the procedure appears safe as a part of routine cardiac catheterization, and biopsy may contribute to a more accurate and clinically relevant classification of a substantial number of patients with suspected myocardial disease.

Cardiac tamponade following percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty: four case reports

Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) has had complications related to dilating catheters and guide wires such as coronary artery dissection, spasm, rupture, and perforation. This report describes four patients who developed cardiac tamponade following PTCA, presumably from right ventricular (RV) perforation. All four received large doses of heparin during PTCA and three received antiplatelet therapy. In three cases, cardiac tamponade occurred several hours after PTCA. All patients did well following operative intervention and no patient required repair of a cardiac perforation. We postulate that impaired hemostasis in the presence of an otherwise inconsequential RV perforation causes tamponade. Three alternatives to provide standby pacing are proposed.