Skip to main content
. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2013 Apr 1.
Published in final edited form as: J Heart Lung Transplant. 2011 Dec 30;31(4):398–409. doi: 10.1016/j.healun.2011.11.019

Table 3.

A total of 94 AE occurred in 88 of 2665 EMB cases. Event characteristics are summarized below.

Adverse Event Characteristic All Levels n (%) Severity Level (n)
Level 1 (n=11) Level 2 (n=53) Level 3 (n=19) Level 4 (n=11) Level 5 (n=0)
Biopsy Related 18 (19) 5 6 6 1 0
    Atrial Arrhythmia 9 (10) 1 3 5
    Coronary Fistula 0 (0)
    Complete Heart Block, Transient 2 (2) 1 1
    RBBB/IVCD, New 3 (3) 3
    Tricuspid Valve Damage 3 (3) 3
    Myocardial Perforation 0 (0)
    Ventricular Arrhythmia 1 (1) 1
Coronary Angiography Related 10 (11) 1 6 0 3 0
    Air Embolus 3 (3) 1 2
    Arrhythmia, Atrial or Ventricular 2 (2) 1 1
    Coronary Dissection 1 (1) 1
    ST Segment Changes/ Coronary Vasospasm 4 (4) 3 1
Sedation or Airway Related 19 (20) 0 11 2 6 0
    Airway obstruction 1 (1) 1
    Anesthesia Problem 2 (2) 2
    Esophageal Hematoma 1 (1) 1
    Hypotension 7 (7) 5 2
    Hypoxia 2 (2) 1 1
    Lobar Collapse 1 (1) 1
    Respiratory Acidosis, pCO2 > 45 mmHg 1 (1) 1
    Respiratory Distress 4 (4) 1 3
General Catheterization Related 25 (27) 2 17 5 1 0
    Allergic Reaction 1 (1) 1
    Atrial Arrhythmia 6 (6) 5 1
    Bradycardia, Sinus 2 (2) 1 1
    Cerebrovascular Accident, Embolic 1 (1) 1
    Equipment Problem, Broken Catheter or Wire 2 (2) 2
    Fever 2 (2) 1 1
    Heart Block, Resolved 2 (2) 2
    Hypoxia 1 (1) 1
    Imaging equipment problem 3 (3) 1 2
    Medication Error 1 (1) 1
    Peripheral Site Infection 1 (1) 1
    Seizure 1 (1) 1
    Ventricular Arrhythmia 1 (1) 1
    Vessel Trauma 1 (1) 1
Access Related 21 (22) 2 13 6 0 0
    Bleeding after line removal 1 (1) 1
    Hemothorax 1 (1) 1
    Inadvertent arterial puncture 1 (1) 1
    Inadvertent sheath removal 1 (1) 1
    Local hematoma, Groin 2 (2) 1 1
    Local hematoma, Neck 2 (2) 1 1
    Pain, Right Lower Extremity 1 (1) 1
    Pneumothorax 4 (4) 1 3
    Rebleed after bandages applied 6 (6) 6
    Sheath placed outside vessel 1 (1) 1
    Systemic Arterial Thrombosis 1 (1) 1
Angioplasty Related 1 (1) 1 0 0 0 0
    Balloon rupture with air embolus 1 (1) 1

AE, Adverse events; EMB, Endomyocardial biopsy; RBBB, Right bundle branch block; IVCD, Interventricular conduction delay;