THE FRACTURE, DISLODGMENT AND RETRIEVAL OF A PROBE-III BALLOON-ON-A-WIRE CATHETER

The fracture and dislodgement of an angioplasty device within the coro nary arteries is a rare but increasingly noted complication.1-7 If the fragment of angioplasty balloon or guidewire is dislodged in a proxim al and patent coronary artery, the likelihood of acute embolization wh ich could lead to an acute coronary thrombus and/or myocardial infarct ion exists. Therefore, the immediate removal of the broken piece of th e angioplasty catheter is imperative. A case of unusual fracture and d islodgement of a Probe III Balloon-on-A-Wire catheter and retrieval of the broken piece is reported.