[Entrapment of broken guidewire in the right coronary artery during percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty].

The distal 2 cm end of guidewire was broken and retained in the right coronary artery (RCA), during percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty for 99% narrowing of the middle RCA in a 53-year-old male patient with effort angina. Because of the stable condition of the patient, elective A-C bypass surgery was performed successfully 2 weeks after this event. However, the broken end of guidewire was not found out in the opened RCA lumen. One and a half year postoperatively, the patient is doing well while the guidewire remains in the same position.