B., DEN-Is BLOOMFIELD, M.B., AN'D AScG1AR DAVxACnII, MI1). W JT:[II the widespread use of wire guidesand catheters inserted into the leart and blood vessels (Iiiring cardiac catleterizationi and other diaginostic pirocedur-es, l()ss of a part of sulch instru-ments should 1c) considered as a poSsible) complication. The pu.trpose of this paper is to report the loss anfl sulbse(Iuent retriexal withouit suirgery of a portion of stainless steel guide in. the riglht atriu.m and inferior vena cava duiring a rouitine cardiac catlheterizatioi.Case Report A 48 ear 0(1 Negro \vomain xas adImitted to the hospital becauise of increasing (lx/spuea,te su.ltinig froIn rhl-eumticl,heart disease. Exatminiationi revealed rmaiked cardiomegalv, a loud blox wing holosystollc and a slight early diastolic mulr1Mur11 at the apex. There were rales in both luIng fields and moderate hepatomegaly. She responided well to treatment with digitalis and diuretics. An anatomic diagnosis of mitral insufficiency xas made anid cardiac catheterization was planned.Duiring preparation for a tran-sseptal entrance inito the left atriuim, a 110-cm. stainlless-steel spring guide was pass.ed bv conventional clutdowii anld exposuire, through the sapheniotus x eim inlto the right atriuim unider cinefluor-oscopic ot) servationl. The guidle ( fig. 1) was 0.045) inch in diameter with an 0.014-inch, internal steel core that xxwas not movable and fixed 3 em. short of thle clistal tip. A Brockenbrouigh transseptal left lhearit Tefloni catheter was passed ovex the gu.i(le into the right ati-inii wxithlouit difficuilty. After approximnately 150 cin. of the guidle was xitdaxthrough the catheter, slight resistaicie to ftirthei vxitiadrxx A xxal s experieniced. Thlius, the catheter From the Cardiovascular Disease Clinical Research

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