Myocardial infarction due to a retained epicardial pacing wire.

A 20-year-old man with a temporary epicardial pacing wire retained after infant repair of an atrioventricular septal defect presented with cardiopulmonary arrest. After resuscitation with extracorporeal membranous oxygenation, a coronary angiogram demonstrated a retained epicardial pacing wire compressing the left anterior descending artery and obtuse marginals. Owing to poor prognostic findings on a computed tomography scan of his head, he was terminally withdrawn from mechanical support. This case demonstrates a potential devastating complication of a retained temporary epicardial pacing wire.