Persistent hemolysis after coil occlusion of a patent ductus arteriosus in a patient with aortic regurgitation.

We report a rare case of hemolysis after coil occlusion of a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), which was treated by surgical removal of the coil and closure of PDA. A 65-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with congestive heart failure due to severe aortic regurgitation associated with PDA. Before undergoing open heart surgery she underwent closure of the PDA using a Jackson coil as an adjunct of treatment to improve her hemodynamic state. However, a small residual shunt resulted in severe hemolysis. Two weeks after the intervention she underwent aortic valve replacement and PDA closure after removal of the coil through the main pulmonary artery under moderate hypothermia and temporary circulatory arrest. Hemolysis is always secondary to a residual leak and several methods have been reported to manage this complication. Our report suggests that early surgical retrieval of the coil before the organized thrombus is formed, can be safely performed even in an elderly patient whose ductus is usually fragile.