BMC Cardiovascular Disorders (Apr 2024)

A case report of ventricular fibrillation following Shockwave intravascular lithotripsy during percutaneous coronary intervention

  • Lars Jakobsen,
  • Evald Høj Christiansen,
  • Troels Thim

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12872-024-03894-z
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 24, no. 1
pp. 1 – 5

Abstract

Read online

Abstract Background Shockwave intravascular lithotripsy (S-IVL) is widely used during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of calcified coronary arteries. Ventricular capture beats during S-IVL are common but arrhythmias are rare. Case presentation A 75-year-old woman was scheduled for PCI to a short, heavily calcified chronic total occlusion of the right coronary artery. After wiring of the occlusion, S-IVL was used to predilated the calcified stenosis. During S-IVL, the patient developed ventricular fibrillation twice. Conclusion To our knowledge, this is only the second reported case of VF during S-IVL. Although very rare, it is important to be aware of this potential and serious complication.

Keywords