A serious complication of a power injector for coronary angiography

Recently several contrast delivery systems for coronary angiography have been introduced to provide adequate artery opacification through small catheters, which are thought to facilitate patient comfort and reduce hemorrhagic/vascular complications. However, the safety profile of a specific system has not been fully examined. In this case report, we present patients who underwent angiography using a contrast delivery system and suffered from massive air embolism necessitating mechanical support. We discuss the potential mechanism and the prevention of this complication.