Coronary artery rupture during transluminal coronary recanalization and angioplasty in a case of acute myocardial infarction and shock.

Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) is a widely performed and effective therapy for coronary artery disease. Evolution of the dilatation instruments during the last decade has led to an increased success rate of PTCA and to the development of newer techniques such as recanalization of totally occluded coronary arteries. We report a case of coronary artery recanalization complicated by fatal coronary artery rupture.