Pulmonary artery rupture in a patient receiving an orthotopic heart transplant after total artificial heart explant.

Our case illustrates a patient who suffered a pulmonary artery rupture despite previous total artificial heart implantation and replacement with orthotopic heart transplant. Pulmonary artery rupture during or following cardiac surgery has been reported to occur due to both pulmonary artery catheter use and surgical technique. Our case is the first to demonstrate the occurrence of this complication in the total artificial heart patient population.