An unusual case of guide wire fracture during percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.

We report a case of guide wire fracture during percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, using one of the newer catheter systems. The broken free end of the guide wire remained within the coronary tree, and surgical removal was necessary. Entrapment and overcoiling of the guide wire can cause fracture; in our case excessive bending in a tortuous coronary tree resulted in this unusual complication. An excessive tensile load to the guide wire may result from anatomical peculiarities and can cause wire fracture.