Delayed abrupt tamponade by isolated left atrial compression following coronary artery perforation during coronary angioplasty.

Cardiac tamponade following coronary artery perforation during percutaneous coronary intervention is a rare but potentially life-threatening complication. When associated with Ellis type III coronary perforations, tamponade develops rapidly during the intervention. In contrast, Ellis type I and II coronary perforations, because of their contained nature, are usually managed conservatively and rarely result in tamponade. We report two unusual cases of delayed but abrupt tamponade caused by localized left atrial compression after contained coronary artery perforation following angioplasty. This complication is an extremely rare event. Etiology, diagnostic modalities, and management are discussed. Copyright (c) 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.