Air embolism in the right coronary artery occurring during the left coronary angioplasty using the guiding catheter with a side hole

Coronary air embolism is one of the inadvertent complications of coronary a ngioplasty, We report two rare cases of complicating air embolism in the ri ght coronary artery occurring during control left coronary angiography usin g a guiding catheter with a side hole, just prior to a coronary interventio n procedure for a left coronary artery lesion, The air seemed to be injecte d into the right coronary artery through the side hole. When we use an angi ographic or guiding catheter with a side hole, we should be aware that an a ir embolism can occur in the contralateral coronary artery and should caref ully and repeatedly perform aspiration of the catheter, (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss , Inc.