Cardiac tamponade is a rare complication of coronary intervention to chronic total occlusions (CTO PCI). We report a case of persistent bleeding from a venous source following successful anterograde dissection-reentry (ADR) CTO PCI. Pericardiocentesis was performed 1 h post-procedure for tamponade. Persistent bleeding was investigated with contrast transesophageal echocardiography, pericardial manometry and blood analysis. Coronary venography revealed subtle extravasation from a cardiac vein adjacent to the site of luminal re-entry. Coronary venous perforation using ADR CTO PCI has not previously been described; however, the volume of blood loss may be significant and surgical exploration may be appropriate.
Keywords: Bleeding; Chronic total occlusions; Complications.