BACKGROUND: Coronary artery perforation associated to cardiac tamponade is an uncommon life-threatening complication of percutaneous coronary intervention, and the occurrence of subepicardial or intramyocardial hematoma without hemopericardium is even rarer. CLINICAL CASE: We describe the case of a 72 year-old woman with a subepicardial hematoma after percutaneous coronary intervention, who required urgent left internal mammary artery graft to anterior descending artery surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Subepicardial or intramyocardial hematoma must be considered when a coronary perforation is suspected in absence of hemopericardium. Transthoracic echocardiogram or computed tomography may be used to decide a conservative or invasive approach.
BACKGROUND: Coronary artery perforation associated to cardiac tamponade is an uncommon life-threatening complication of percutaneous coronary intervention, and the occurrence of subepicardial or intramyocardial hematoma without hemopericardium is even rarer. CLINICAL CASE: We describe the case of a 72 year-old woman with a subepicardial hematoma after percutaneous coronary intervention, who required urgent left internal mammary artery graft to anterior descending artery surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Subepicardial or intramyocardial hematoma must be considered when a coronary perforation is suspected in absence of hemopericardium. Transthoracic echocardiogram or computed tomography may be used to decide a conservative or invasive approach.