"Back-squeezing" of the clot: an unusual complication of primary coronary angioplasty

Cathet Cardiovasc Diagn. 1997 Sep;42(1):64-7. doi: 10.1002/(sici)1097-0304(199709)42:1<64::aid-ccd19>3.0.co;2-m.

Abstract

Distal coronary embolism of thrombotic material is quite common in the setting of primary coronary angioplasty for evolving acute myocardial infarction. Embolization to another coronary artery is, however, much more uncommon. We report on a case in which a large thrombus migrated from the proximal left anterior descending artery (LAD) to the proximal left circumflex artery (CX) during inflation of the dilatation balloon. The putative mechanism was retrograde expulsion of the thrombus by the deploying balloon.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / adverse effects*
  • Coronary Thrombosis*
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Myocardial Infarction / therapy
  • Pressure