Incidental Extraction of a Temporary Epicardial Pacemaker Wire With Right Ventricular Perforation During Endomyocardial Biopsy: A Case Report

• DOI: 10.1016/j.transproceed.2015.02.012
• Publication Date: 2015-04-17T03:15:52Z
• Authors: B. Skoric; J. Samardzic; M. Cikes; Z. Baricevic; H. Jurin; J. Ljubas-Macek; D. Milicic
• Keywords: Male; Cardiac Catheterization; Pacemaker, Artificial; Biopsy; Heart Ventricles; Myocardium; Middle Aged; Epicardial pacemaker wire ; Ventricular perforation ; Endomyocardial biopsy ; Heart transplantation; 3. Good health; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Heart Transplantation; Humans; Endocardium

Right ventricular perforation during endomyocardial biopsy is an unusual, although potentially life-threatening, complication caused with the tip of the bioptome. The majority of perforations in heart transplant patients can be managed without surgery owing to adhesions nearly obliterating pericardial space.We report a case of heart transplant patient who suffered right ventricular perforation as a consequence of incidental extraction of a temporary epicardial pacemaker wire during a routine endomyocardial biopsy sampling.The patient suffered no clinical consequences.