Left internal mammary artery graft perforation due to high‐pressure stent deployment

Perforation of newly placed left internal mammary artery (LIMA) grafts due to stent deployment is an infrequent but potentially dangerous complication of coronary interventions. It may lead to brisk hemorrhage and massive cardiac tamponade requiring emergent pericardiocentesis and surgery. We report a case of a LIMA graft perforation following stent deployment with a high‐pressure balloon 12 days after surgery. The patient was treated with emergent pericardiocentesis, rapid autotransfusion of the pericardial aspirate into the systemic circulation, and surgical repair of the ruptured vessel. Cathet. Cardiovasc Intervent. 47:199–202, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.