Percusurge guardwire balloon-associated thrombus--a limitation of the Percusurge distal protection system.

Saphenous vein graft interventions represent a challenge to interventional cardiologists because of the frequent and unpredictable incidence of distal embolization. Distal embolic protection devices have demonstrated a reduction in the incidence of this phenomenon. As the use of these devices becomes more frequent outside research protocols, the limitations of different devices will become apparent. Thrombus at the site of the distal occlusive balloon of the Percusurge distal embolic protection system was noted in the case described and represents a potential drawback of this form of distal protection.