Successful removal of an entrapped rotablation burr by extracting drive shaft sheath followed by balloon dilatation

Burr entrapment is a rare but serious complication during rotational atherectomy (RA). Although emergent surgical removal is a reliable option for this complication, surgical removal is invasive and takes several hours. Balloon inflation just proximal to the burr was the previously‐reported nonsurgical option for burr removal. However, this method needed large guide catheter lumen (≥8 Fr). We present a case of 67‐year‐old male on chronic hemodialysis. During RA for severe stenosis of the right coronary artery, the RA burr was entrapped. We cut off the drive shaft, the drive shaft sheath, and the RA wire together near the advancer, and then we removed the drive shaft sheath. After removing the drive shaft sheath, the 2.5 mm balloon easily entered the 7‐Fr guide catheter. We inflated that balloon to a pressure of 18 atm. The burr was easily removed immediately after balloon deflation. Removal of the drive shaft sheath following balloon dilatation is a new, nonsurgical bailout method for a burr that becomes entrapped during RA. Since removal of the drive shaft sheath following balloon dilatation can be applied to 7 Fr as well as 6 Fr guide systems, this method may be of considerable benefit when operators use 7 Fr or 6 Fr systems. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.