An unusual complication of metallic balloon shaft fracture during coronary angioplasty.

We describe two cases of metallic balloon catheter shaft fracture, at a site just proximal to the hemostatic Y-adapter, while attempting to push the stent-balloon assembly through a tortuous left circumflex artery. In both instances, the stent carrying the balloon catheter had a stainless-steel hypotube constituting the proximal stiff portion of the shaft. While no inferences pertaining to this design can be made, our cases call for a closer observation. It would probably be prudent to change the catheter or the dilatation strategy once the shaft started buckling.