Coronary perforation to the left ventricular cavity by a guide wire during coronary angioplasty

We describe a case in which the guide wire penetrated through the left anterior descending artery into the left ventricular cavity during percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. This complication of coronary angioplasty which had not been previously reported was suspected because of the characteristic motion of the guide wire on the X-ray image and was confirmed by echocardiography.