Percutaneous catheter balloons: failure to deflate.

Three examples of permanently inflated transluminal catheter balloons are presented. Two of these occurred during attempted percutaneous transluminal angioplasty. Nonsurgical solutions, which were successful in each case, are described. Percutaneous puncture with a needle or a larger diameter coaxial catheter under fluoroscopic guidance may be useful when this complication occurs during attempted balloon angioplasty or embolization with proximal balloon occlusion in large vessels.