Myocardial and pericardial staining by transradial Optitorque Jacky shape catheter during left ventriculogram.

A 69-year-old male presented with inferior wall ischemia. Transradial coronary angiogram with an Optitorque Jacky shape catheter showed unobstructed coronary arteries (Terumo Medical Corporation). Left ventriculography was complicated with myocardial and pericardial contrast staining. The catheter was pulled back. The patient experienced sharp chest pain that resolved in 20 minutes. Stat transthoracic echocardiogram was unremarkable. The patient remained hemodynamically stable. Transthoracic echocardiogram the next morning revealed trivial pericardial effusion. Patient was asymptomatic on outpatient follow-up. The Optitorque transradial catheter, with Jacky and Tiger tip shapes, is the preferred multipurpose catheter for transradial coronary angiogram. Potential complications of ventriculogram catheters are myocardial staining, myocardial rupture, cardiac tamponade, and arrhythmias caused by improper position of the catheter tip. It is imperative to check the position of the catheter tip with a small amount of contrast injection prior to left ventriculography (even though we checked our position with a small test injection) to avoid these types of complication. This case illustrates the value of careful manipulation and placement of transradial catheter during left ventriculography.