Latex anaphylaxis caused by a Swan-Ganz catheter

Abstract

A 78-year-old woman visited the division of cardiovascular disease in our hospital. She underwent a cardiac catheter examination, and a Swan-Ganz catheter was inserted. Several minutes later, she developed ana-phylactic shock. She had no past history of latex allergy, but did have a banana allergy. Skin prick tests showed a positive reaction to an extract of latex gloves and an extract of the balloon of a Swan-Ganz catheter. Anaphylactic shock caused by the latex balloon of a Swan-Ganz catheter was diagnosed. It is necessary to pay attention to not only latex allergy but also fruit allergies with a cross-reactivity to latex. © 2011 The Japanese Society of Internal Medicine.