How to manage an entrapped undeflatable coronary balloon

Abstract

An entrapped undeflatable coronary balloon is a rare complication during percutaneous coronary intervention. It is a complication that can be stressful for the operator, with potentially catastrophic implications for the patient. A fully inflated balloon in the coronaries impedes the blood flow to the distal myocardium and hence causes ischemia, that could jeopardize the hemodynamics of the patients and potentially lead to life-threatening complications. In this article, we go over the bail-out techniques that have been tried while highlighting the pros and cons of each technique.

Keywords: Bail-out techniques; Balloon entrapment; Hypotube; Undeflatable balloon.