[Fracture and intracoronary retention of a guidewire catheter in percutaneous transluminal angioplasty. A case report].

We present a rare coronary complication of angioplasty in which the steerable catheter was broken within the circumflex artery. Surgical removal of the fragment was possible and the patient had an uneventful recovery. Considerations on this serious problem, its possible causes, prevention and management are made.