Internal balloon compression: a method to achieve hemostasis when removing an inadvertently placed pacemaker lead from the subclavian artery.

One of the possible complications of subclavian vein puncture is entry into the subclavian artery. If this is not recognized, a pacemaker lead may be placed arterially. Since this may lead to systemic emboli, the pacemaker lead must be removed. This case report describes a patient in whom an atrial lead was inadvertently placed in the ascending aorta, where it had good sensing values but poor atrial capture threshold values. This lead was subsequently removed and hemostasis was achieved with intraarterial balloon compression via the brachial artery.