Subepicardial haematoma, a rare and potentially lethal complication of CTO-PCI: case of an exceptional recovery after conservative management.

We present the case of an 82-year-old woman undergoing high-risk chronic total occlusion percutaneous coronary intervention (CTO-PCI) of the right coronary artery. Hours after the procedure, a subepicardial haematoma was diagnosed as a result of coronary perforation during the procedure. This rare and potentially lethal complication evolved exceptionally benignly after conservative management; our patient fully recovered. Increasingly complex procedures in high-risk patient categories warrant awareness of procedural complications, especially those that are subtle and appear relatively late, and are therefore most hazardous. Recognition of this rare complication and choosing the optimal strategy is of the utmost importance when dealing with patients who undergo PCI. We here describe the rare case of a potential lethal complication in high-risk CTO-PCI, which evolved relatively benignly. 2014 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.