Cardiovascular pathology : the official journal of the Society for Cardiovascular Pathology
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Cardiovasc. Pathol. · May 2019
Iatrogenic embolization following cardiac intervention: postmortem analysis of 110 cases.
Iatrogenic embolization following cardiac investigative procedures may result from hydrophilic polymer emboli (HPE) from catheter valve and vessel wall calcifications, and air embolism from open heart surgery. This retrospective clinical pathologic analysis was undertaken to ascertain the frequency and extent of these potentially fatal complications. ⋯ We advocate for greater awareness of these underrecognized and occasionally fatal complications of endovascular procedures. Targeted postprocedural imaging has a role in the identification of iatrogenic embolic infarcts.